Strengthening local laboratory and research capacities in Central Asia-Building local laboratory capacity in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan through training, infrastructure development and applied WASH research.

Water resources in Central Asia are unequal distributed. Population growth, urbanization, and increasing pressure on water resources create significant challenges for water supply and sanitation services. The Community of Research and Practice in WASH in Central Asia (CoP4WASH) initiative supports universities in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in developing research and laboratory capacities to generate local evidence for decision-making in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector. Research activities focus on water quality monitoring, including microbial drinking water quality, as well as decentralized sanitation systems, particularly constructed wetlands (CW). A key component of the initiative is the strengthening of university laboratory infrastructure. This has included laboratory needs assessments, the establishment of water quality laboratories and the implementation of training programmes covering sampling techniques, chemical and microbiological analyses, data interpretation, and laboratory practice. Such trainings were delivered by researchers from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) for university lecturers in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. A Bachelor’s thesis investigated the long-term establishment of sustainable laboratory methods for monitoring a CW in Safedteppa, Tajikistan. The objective was to eliminate the use of critical reagents. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were monitored, and recommendations were developed for treatment plant optimization. The study also identified opportunities to use locally available analytical methods and regional laboratory networks to support independent long-term monitoring activities. This demonstrates that the combination of capacity development, university-based research, and local monitoring can provide an important foundation for evidence-based decision-making aimed at improving water quality, sanitation services, and public health protection in Central Asia.