The ISO 17025 Journey: Swaziland Water Services Corporation Laboratory Presented by : QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER/NLAS CHAIRPERSON Presented at: TEST & MEASUREMENT CONFERENCE Date : 1st AUGUST 2017

Overview Introduction Functions of the SWSC Laboratory Monitoring Programs & analyses done SWSC Laboratory pre-ISO 17025 accreditation Journey to ISO 17025 accreditation ISO 17025 accreditation benefits at SWSC Laboratory Future outlook

Introduction SWSC: Water & Sanitation Utility, SWSC Act 12 (1992) Corporate MS: ISO 9001, 14001, OHSAS 18001, HACCP Laboratory positioned within Technical Services Department Lab accredited by SANAS for ISO 17025 since 2012 (SADCAS 2017) Nucleus of the SWSC water & wastewater quality assurance function Clients: Operations, Ecowater, Technical, External customers

QA Staff (15) MD OD TSD QAM ASC LT LA QAS QI ASM CL PE FD SSD

SWSC Lab 2 37 215 7, 423 225, 097 7, 498, 499

Functions of the SWSC Laboratory Water/wastewater/industrial effluent monitoring Waterworks quality audits Water quality complaints investigations Provision of water & wastewater analytical data (Technical) Coordinating SWSC Reservoir cleansing program

Monitoring programs & analyses done DW monitoring: Catchment, Abstraction, Treated Product, Distribution Wastewater: Influent, Intermediate, Effluent, Upstream & Downstream Industrial Effluent Analyses: Phys-Chem: alkalinity, hardness, nutrients, chlorine, colour, turbidity EC, COD, BOD, TSS, TDS, pH, cations, organic pollutants, etc. Microbiology: total coliforms, Faecal coliforms, Enterococci, Escherichia coli, HPC, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Yeast & Mould, etc.

Lab Equipment

SWSC Lab pre-17025 Accreditation No comprehensive documented QMS, business continuity risk No formal system of handling NCs, recurrences were a norm and costly Customer requirements not defined, performance against them not measured (e.g. customer satisfaction) Customer complaints on effluent bills prevalent – reversal of invoices Methods not validated: uncertainties on results – customer/regulator confidence low Adherence to implementation of PPM for equipment was low

SWSC Lab pre-17025 Accreditation – Cont’d No firewalls/safeguards between sampling and analytical staff No formal system for evaluating analyst competence Inadequate monitoring and control of lab environmental conditions No internal audits/management reviews – system effectiveness not evaluated

Journey to ISO 17025 Accreditation Executive Decision: Strategic goal for SWSC ISO 17025 Gap analysis ISO 17025 training (system & auditing) QMS development & implementation External audit (2010) Corrective actions

Journey to ISO 17025 Accreditation – Cont’d Corrective actions: Structure review – Quality Inspectors System documentation: procedures, forms, records Resource provision: Testing equipment Temperature monitoring system Back-up power Training Improved operational budget External Audit (2011) Accreditation (2012)

Journey to ISO 17025 Accreditation – Cont’d

Journey to ISO 17025 Accreditation – Challenges Staff turnover: laterally and poaching Time constraints Steep service & maintenance fees

Benefits of ISO 17025 at SWSC Global recognition, enhanced image of SWSC Enhanced employee satisfaction (71% vs 66.4% SWSC average) Customer confidence on test results – wider customer base Customer satisfaction: 90.8% (2016) More external customers, increased revenue: ↑219% (2012:2017) Reduction in non-conforming work: ↓88% (2012:2017) Reduced customer complaints (e.g. COD for billing): ↓94% (‘12:’17) Improvements on overtime management: 2.5% of basic pay vs 10%

Benefits of ISO 17025 at SWSC: 2012 vs 2017 Adherence to internal SLAs: Lab rated amongst the best units at SWSC Adherence to equipment PPM: 100% for first half of 2017 Auditor confidence on product quality (ISO 9001 audits) Enhanced knowledge of the business Reduced risk in lab business continuity – system documented

SWSC Lab Team 2012

Future Outlook Increase accreditation scope Increase testing scope Increase customer base Improve SWSC Laboratory viability

Matsapha Waterworks

“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can” Nikos Kazantzakis