Resilience in the face of crisis is no coincidence, and being prepared for all kinds of emergencies takes lots of preparation. In early October, five Albanian utilities joined the ranks of the region's professionally prepared water service providers.

From 28 September until 4 October 2021, SHUKALB held the fourth and final training to implement the D-LeaP Water Safety Planning and Crisis Management Program (WSP) at the water utilities of Gramsh, Lushnje, Patos, Belsh and Berat-Kucove.

Coached by lead trainer Migena Kukli, co-trainer Elton Hasanaj, and SHUKALB Executive Director Elisabeta Poci, utility management staff and representatives from the municipalities Belsh and Lushnja entered stage 4, completing and presenting the draft Water Safety Plan and the draft Crisis Management Plan of their respective utilities, and implementing their water supply networks in Google Earth.

With assistance from the trainers, the participants ran simulations, taking crisis manager and other key roles in emergencies, training situation assessment and decision-making. Having completed this final stage 4, the water utilities will get their finalized Water Safety Plans and Crisis Management Plans officially approved as internal reference documents to guide crisis response.

SHUKALB implements the D-LeaP Water Safety Planning and Crisis Management Program in the framework of the Regional Capacity Development Network (RCDN) Project, supported by the GIZ-Open Regional Fund and financed by the Swiss and German Governments.

Sister organization SHUKOS plans to launch the WSP program in Kosovo in early 2022.

Note that the Water Safety Plan and Crisis Management Program will be the topic of a dedicated session of the upcoming Joint Balkans Conference organised by SHUKALB and SHUKOS.