PLENARY SPEAKER

Standardisation in the area of Water quality protection

Mr. Kago Setiko
Botswana Bureau of Standards, Botswana

Abstract

Standards are important because through them health and safety of communities is assured. Water is an important commodity in human life and it makes about 70% of the human body and hence the need to develop water quality standards for human drinking water, irrigation water and water for livestock and poultry. Botswana Bureau of standards (BOBS) through Water Quality Technical Committee develops water quality standards which are either compulsory standards or voluntary standards. Compulsory water standards are regulated by BOBS and these are: Drinking water – Specification (BOS 32:2009), Bottled natural water – Specification (BOS 262:2011) and Bottled water other natural water – Specification (BOS 143:2011). Voluntary water standards are not regulated by BOBS but may be regulated by government departments such as Ministry of Agriculture and Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control. Examples of voluntary water standards include Water quality for Irrigation (BOS 463:2011), Drinking water for livestock and poultry (BOS 365:2010) and Waste water – Physical, microbiological and chemical requirements – Specification (BOS 93:2012).

Biography of the Plenary Speaker

Mr Kago Setiko is a Senior Standards Scientist – Environmental at Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS). He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree (Chemistry and Environmental Science) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education at the University of Botswana in 2001 and 2002 respectively. After eleven years (2002-2013) working as a Chemistry teacher in government senior secondary schools, Mr Setiko decided it was time for a change of scenery and new experiences when joined BOBS in January 2014. Mr Setiko has huge interest in area of scientific research and during his time as a chemistry teacher, he was mostly involved in organising Maths and Science fairs as well as being a judge for the students competing projects during Science fairs. He is now involved in formulating Botswana standards through Water Quality technical committee and Environmental Management Systems technical committee.