BECC & IMTA Organize Training Workshop for Water Utilities on Sonora Border

The workshop’s objective, to improve the utilities’ functions, operations and maintenance capabilities, was conducted September 19 – 24, at the Instituto Tecnologico de Cananea, and benefitted the communities of Cananea, Nacozari de Garcia, Magdalena, Agua Prieta and Naco.

The workshop started with office work and included field diagnostics.  With this training opportunity, the BECC has joined efforts by the CEAS aimed at strengthening the technical, financial and human capacities of these five water utilities, in addition to employees of CEAS.

Francisco Salinas Solis, Director of Water Utilities of the State Water Commission (CEAS), stated during the opening remarks on September 19, that in order to conduct this workshop, research had been carried out weeks before in order to understand and identify each utility’s weaknesses and needs, interviewing the technical, administrative and business department staff members.

“The problem with these water utilities, is that they’ve had to learn along the way, utilizing outdated technology, this (the training) renews the way it operates,” he added.  CEAS is seeking to make the water utilities stronger and more efficient and added they had worked on automating the equipment, installed micro and macro meters, as well as provided employee training.

According to Francisco Salinas, training was aimed at launching improvements in the area of environmental health through water management.

Javier F. Torres, Regional Project Manager, also during the opening ceremony, held in Cananea, explained that the BECC had contributed to the workshop’s organization, and had joined the efforts of the CEAS to strengthen the technical, financial and human capacities of the five utilities.  He added that, “there will be follow up measures and that the BECC would return to identify the water utilities’ level of development as well as any gaps to validate efficiency and improvements at the water utility.”