For the past three years, the municipal enterprise Miskvodokanal in Sumy has been engaged in a successful international cooperation with the Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband (OOWV) in the framework of the Utility Platform project.
This ongoing collaboration has significantly strengthened the technical and operational capacity of Miskvodokanal. Through consistent dialogue and exchange with the German partner, the Ukrainian utility has acquired advanced laboratory equipment, including a gas chromatograph and an ion chromatograph, essential tools for a precise analysis of both drinking water and wastewater.
Beyond equipment procurement, the partnership has provided valuable opportunities for professional development. Laboratory specialists from Miskvodokanal have benefited from both virtual and in-person exchanges with OOWV experts.
Most recently, from 11.- 15. August 2025, three employees of the laboratory control service participated in a training session in Frankfurt am Main at Thermo Fisher, organised within the framework of their solidarity operator partnership with OOWV.

The primary objective of this training was to ensure that the newly acquired chromatographic equipment is operated effectively and maintained to the highest standards. During the programme, Sumy’s specialists received hands-on instruction in:
- Disassembling and cleaning the ion source
- Identifying mass spectra
- Performing calibration
- Determining the concentration of components in water samples
- Using specialised analytical software
- Performing maintenance on chromatographs

This training significantly enhanced the team’s technical expertise, enabling more accurate and reliable water quality assessments.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to our German colleagues for their continued support and fruitful cooperation. The high-precision instruments and knowledge gained through this partnership mark an important step forward in improving the quality of water services for the residents of Sumy,” says Viktoriia Zhuravlova, deputy director of Misvodokanal.
