The Water Authority of Fiji’s (WAF) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) has once again proven its potential to be technically and scientifically competent for testing biological samples.
This was after it was awarded the latest version of the ISO17025: 2017 accreditation by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) earlier this year.
ISO17025: 2017 is one of the most significant accreditations for all types of laboratories, universities, and research centers performing tests and calibration.
According to WAF’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Barry Omundson, achieving the ISO17025: 2017 accreditation is a reflection of the Authority’s efforts to continue reaching greater heights with their service delivery.
“We congratulate our laboratory team for yet another year of successfully attaining accreditation from IANZ and truly this achievement benefits the WAF team as it allows us to determine whether or not we are performing our work correctly to appropriate standards,” he said.
“The ISO17025: 2017 also provides our laboratory team with a benchmark to maintain competence and consistently produce accurate and reliable data.”
WAF’s NWQL currently uses properly calibrated equipment with proper internal and quality control checks which ensure the effectiveness of our system and procedures.
Mr. Omundson added the yearly recognition was also a transparent measure to motivate staff to maintain consistency in their areas of work.
The NWQL team is currently preparing for the 2021 assessment and audits by IANZ for the upcoming accreditation requirements.
Over 829,150 Fijians, comprising of thousands of families and businesses around Fiji, rely on WAF for their essential daily need for water.
WAF services cover 18,274 square kilometers of the 332 islands in the Fiji archipelago, of which 110 are inhabited.
Meanwhile, WAF also asks that Fijians practise water conservation and to store at least two days worth of water in case of emergencies.
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