• Finalization of the hydrogeological modelling of the Oued Biskra inféro-flux aquifer using Modflow for Windows (PMWIN) (April-May 2015). In order to predict the efficiency and efficacy of the designed Manager Aquifer Recharge (MAR) system for the Oued Biskra aquifer, a numerical groundwater flow model has been built using Modflow for Windows (PMWin). The reliability of the simulation depends on the accuracy of the calibration phase for the steady and transient state. The attention was focused on the model construction (the studied tract of the aquifer has been divided into a 29m x 29m cell grid covering a total area of 8.389.800 m2 and is constituted by one unconfined layer and two horizons) and on the steady state calibration. The aim of the steady state calibration was to configure all the hydrogeological parameters (hydraulic conductivity, aquifer recharge, etc..) in order to obtain the best fitting between the numerical solution and the measured piezometric head used as reference state (SCET-COOP, 1966). The good fitting between the calculated and the measured piezometric head and the very low discrepancy (-0,6%) for the water budget show that the steady state calibration has been successfully completed. The software used for the modelling is available for free download at http://www.simcore.com/pm53 and offers a totally integrated simulation system for modelling groundwater flow and transport processes.
• Several technical and financial meetings were organized with Algerian and Tunisian partners during April and May to discuss issues related to work tenders, training and financial review.
• Launching, opening and evaluation of the 2nd tender for artificial recharge works in Algeria and Tunisia (May-June 2015) following unsuccessful first calls for tenders that dictated the necessity to repeat the procedures.
• Coordination meeting of the project’s leader staff (NRD) (27 May, University of Sassari – Italy) to discuss pending issues and needs in view of carrying out the remaining activities of the project (Works tenders in Algeria and Tunisia, training, activities scheduling and financial mid- term report).

Dissemination activities

• Participation in the conference entitled “V congresso nazionale AIGA (Associazione Italiana di Geologia Applicata) (29-30 April 2015, Cagliari, Italy) and presentation of a poster entitled “Electrical Resistivity Tomography for the identification of the alluvium-Triassic boundary in Médenine Region (SE Tunisia)”. The contents of the poster were also submitted and published as a short note.
• Participation in the conference entitled “The international conference on integrated land and water resources management in the dry areas under climate change - ILDAC2015 (11-14 May 2015, Djerba - Tunisia) and contribution with the following presentations:
  • Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Systems in two semi-arid regions of Maghreb: Oum Zessar (Tunisisa) and Wadi Biskra (Algeria) (oral presentation)
  • Classification methods for detecting and evaluating changes in desertification-related features in arid and semiarid environments (oral presentation). The article was submitted for the publication on a special edition Springer book related to the conference (peer review in progress)
  • Evaluation and validation of SRTMGL1 and ASTER_ GDEM2 for two Maghreb regions (poster presentation). The article was submitted for the publication on a special edition Springer book related to the conference (peer review in progress)
• Contribution of the project’s partners to the Seminar entitled “Experiences of Integrated Water Management to Combat Desertification” (18 June 2015, Sassari – Italy) organised on the occasion of the World day to combat Desertification-2015”. The main aim of this day of observance was to raise public awareness about the fact that hunger and poverty eradication is closely linked to the achievement of Land-Degradation Neutrality. The seminar, in particular, promoted the exchange of scientific results within researchers. For more information about the Conference click here.
• Participation in the conference entitled “The international SWAT conference, SWAT (24-26 June 2015, Sardinia, Italy) and presentation of the following contribution as a poster: The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to assess hydrological processes in arid environment (SE Tunisia), in the framework of WADIS-MAR project.
• Submission and acceptance of an abstract for poster presentation on “Diachronic analysis of salt-affected areas in Biskra (Algeria) using remote sensing techniques” at SPIE Remote Sensing Conference (21 - 24 September 2015, Toulouse - France. For the program of the Conference click here
• Submission and acceptance of and abstract for poster entitled "A methodology for the spectral analysis of saline and sand encrachment areas in Tunisia by means of proximal and remote sensing" to be presented at the XIX Conferenza Nazionale ASITA (29 September - 1 October, Polo di Lecco del Politecnico di Milano – Italy).
• Submission and acceptance of an abstract entitled “Analysis of spatio-temporal dynamics of aeolian processes in arid and semi-arid areas using remote sensing” for an oral presentation during the 6th Youngs' Geomorphologists Day Conference (29 September 2015, Cagliari – Italy).

Egypt

• Start of construction works for the Pilot Plant in Guzyeira, Ismailia Governorate. After the launching of a tender for the pilot plant and a negotiation meeting with the bidder in April the contract will be signed in July. Construction works will start in August 2015 and are expected to be finished by the end of 2015. The treatment plant will have a prefabricated anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) unit followed with aerobic fixed bed reactor. An 80 – 90 % COD/BOD removal is expected. The tender consists of two lots (one for the construction of the sewage network and one of the treatment technology). For the operation and maintenance of the treatment plant, a technical committee was established at the village level and supported by the local affiliated company of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) in Ismailia. It is envisaged that the committee will later be in charge of the operation and maintenance of the treatment plant. A presentation about the progress of the demonstration activities in Egypt is available in English
• A final evaluation and impact mission to Egypt was successfully carried out (14-16 April 2015). This included several meetings with the project’s team and coordinator as well as visits in the project site (Al Guzyeira village). The final evaluation report will be available shortly on the project’s website.

Jordan

• Training course on Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the Jordan Pilot Plant at the Public Security Directorate (PSD). The training course was organized by the contractor of the wastewater treatment plant at its premises and addressed to the PSD staff, in particular the engineers working directly with the plant. The training provided additional information and knowledge about the decentralized wastewater technologies and components of each system, including planning of decentralized wastewater systems and handling of the system. It was conducted in two sessions: the first session was conducted on 15-16 Feb 2015 and the 2nd session on 6-7 April 2015. The first day of the training covered a wide range of topics related to Decentralized Wastewater treatment, including case studies and site selection, technology selection, design, implementation, operation, maintenance and monitoring. The second day included field visits to the demonstration site at PSD head quarters and another demonstration site at Fuhais created in the framework of the “Sustainable Management of Available Water Resources with Innovative Technologies” (German Government-funded research project in Jordan). 11 trainees participated in the course, 40% of whom were females.
• Provision by the contractor of the plant of outlet equipment for uploading the excess treated wastewater produced at the PDS pilot plant by Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) tankers and flood preventing equipment
• Signature of the protocol for handing over the wastewater treatment plant to the PSD in April 2015. An O&M contract between the PSD and the contractor was successively signed while regular monitoring visits will be conducted by Balqa Applied University (BAU).
• Agreement between the Great Amman Municipality (GAM) and PSD in May 2015. The agreement concerns the reuse of excess treated wastewater in different landscaping areas within the Great Amman Municipality. PSD is expected to provide GAM with 30 - 50 M³/day treated wastewater with high quality in compliance with the Jordanian reuse standards. Up-scaling efforts are already supported during the duration of the pilot project. The approval letter from GAM in relation to the agreement is available in Arabic

Tunisia

• Finalisation of the sand filtration unit at Medenine, South Tunisia. The construction of the slow sand filter (the tertiary treatment system of the centrally run wastewater treatment plant of Ouljet el Khodher in Medenine South Tunisia) is finalized and a water quality monitoring program implemented to ensure that the quality of the treated wastewater is in line with the Tunisian irrigation standards. Moreover, an IT-Platform was established to disseminate the monitoring data to all stakeholders representing monitoring agencies from different sectors (environmental, agricultural, water and health). In order to ensure the sustainability of the operation and maintenance of the sand filtration unit, local training courses were conducted for ONAS (Office National de l’Assainissement) staff and other stakeholders in April 2015. The test phase of the operation of the sand filter and the IT Platform at the pilot plant has started and is ongoing.
• Another local training course for ONAS staff in Medenine was conducted in May to support the installation and operation of the laboratory monitoring equipment.
• Environmental analysis study of the Sand Filter in Tunisia. The analysis aims to check and monitor the efficiency of the tertiary treatment of the sand filter based on several indicator parameters like COD, BOD, Nitrate and total Nitrogen. The monitoring program will last until end of September 2015.

Morocco

• Finalization of the construction of the pilot plant at Ait Idir in June 2015. The demonstration project revolves around a comprehensive eco-sanitation concept to treat and reclaim nutrients for further use in agriculture or for biogas production. Treatment technologies (Dry Toilets, Biogas Digesters and flood management equipment) have been constructed and applied in different locations of the village, such as the school, a family house, the market, thereby involving a wide range of stakeholders. The project will conduct a local training on operation and maintenance for the beneficiaries in July.

Regional

• SWIM Sustain Water MED 6th regional meeting (7-11 June, Bologna – Italy). During the meeting involving the Consortium partners, the final evaluation and objective achievements of the whole project since it starts in 2012 were discussed. With the project coming to a close in March 2016, partners were also eagerly to discuss sustainability issues and steps to guarantee post-project outreach. The final report of the meeting will be available shortly at the project’s website. The agenda is available in English

Al Nobariya - Egypt

• Advancement of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) upgrade in Nobariya (Egypt). During the months April-June the WWTP upgrade has been almost completed. The remaining activities relate to the connection of the water flow to the Constructed Wetland that was already built by the project in 2014. These are expected to be concluded by the end of July 2015. Moreover, the commissioning, start-up of system operations and the monitoring of the water flow are also planned shortly.
• Preparation of the irrigation field in Nobariya (Egypt). The preliminary drawings of the lab-scale field construction have been prepared in June as a preparatory step for the implementation of the water use and irrigation component of the project.
• Finalization of numerical modeling related to artificial aquifer recharge activities through the preparation of a set of simulated artificial aquifer recharge scenarios. The model of the simulation of injection of freshwater from the Constructed Wetland and/or the upgraded WWTP into the confined fine sand aquifer (that was detected by the in situ drilling and geophysical surveys previously carried out by the project) has allowed to perform some preliminary evaluations about the effectiveness of the aquifer recharge to: 1) store freshwater; 2) use the confined fine sand aquifer for improving the quality of the injected treated wastewater; 3) reuse the groundwater for agricultural purposes; 4) use the aquifer recharge to contrast the aquifer salinization. The final evaluation and delivery of the study is expected in fall/winter following discussions and meetings with relevant stakeholders.

Korba - Tunisia

• Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade. The tender procedures for baffles and sand filters have been unified and after negotiations with the eligible companies that provided an offer the contract has been signed and the works have been initiated on June 1st as informed by the Office National de l’Assainissement (ONAS). It is estimated that they will last until the end of the year (December 2015).