NEWS FROM THE SWIM-SUPPORT MECHANISM
Safer reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation: awareness raising campaign for farmers and technicians in Algeria (13-14 May 2015, Oran)
Two information days were organised in Algeria (Oran) in May 2015 in view of enhancing awareness of farmers and strengthening the capacity of technicians about a safer use of treated wastewater in irrigation and agriculture. The events were jointly planned and carried out with the National Office of Irrigation and Drainage (ONID) and with the support of the Ministry of Water Resources – Directorate of Studies and Hydraulic Facilities.
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Training on evaluating and structuring Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) in the water sector (8-10 June, Dead Sea – Jordan)
Twenty-nine representatives from relevant institutions, the private sector (investors/operators) and NGOs from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia were trained on how the public sector can assess opportunities for PPPs in the water sector, taking into account all parameters to structure the PPP transactions, from financial sustainability and bankability to legal clauses, performance monitoring, guarantees, insurance, staffing, reporting etc.
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SWIM National Review Meeting in Jordan (11 June 2015 - Ministry of Water and Irrigation – Amman, Jordan)
The meeting served to review and take stock of the performance, impact and relevance of the SWIM program during its implementation period in Jordan.
It involved 20 participants, invited by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, i.e. the focal point for SWIM-SM in Jordan, including: representatives from the EU delegation in Jordan, the country’s water sector (Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan Valley Authority and Water Authority of Jordan), the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Planning in addition to the GIZ, and the SWIM experts from both components (support mechanism and demo projects).
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Assessment of current legislative capacity and legal procedures for the prosecution of violators of water legislation and guidelines (Algeria, Jordan and Lebanon)
Legal and institutional capacities are known to be key success factors for prosecution of violators of environment and water legislations and therefore to enhance water governance and IWRM implementation.
This document assesses and provides guidelines on the institutional and legislative capacities needed for the prosecution of non-compliance with water legislation in the three countries. French and English/Welsh’s systems are also described in order to provide a general overview on how some countries have improved their systems and procedures in these matters.
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The SWIM video is now online in its English and French versions!
For the English version click here, and for the French one here.
The Arabic version will be available shortly
International Workshop on “Sustainable Water Integrated Management in the South Mediterranean: Matching Efficient Irrigation & Renewable Energy Sources” (Beirut, May 6, 2015)
The Workshop was organized by the EU-funded project entitled Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Irrigated Agricultural Production in Lebanon and Jordan (ENSIAP) in collaboration with SWIM-SM with the aim to present and discuss successful experiences in the field of sustainable management of agriculture and water in the southern and eastern Mediterranean, including the use of renewable energy sources countries and therefore enhance their adaptation and replication.
The Workshop, organized under the auspices of H.E. the Minister of Agriculture Akram Chehayeb was attended by 93 participants including representatives of Water and Agriculture related institutions, academia, International organization and other stakeholders from Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
SWIM-SM, apart for contributing to the preparation of the event’s agenda and facilitating the active participation of SWIM-ACLIMAS Demonstration project, also presented its activities related to the set-up and pilot testing of the MONEVA system for the Monitoring and Evaluation of the Participatory Irrigation Management / Irrigation Management Transfer (PIM/IMT).
ON-GOING AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Study tour on wastewater management using natural treatment systems in rural areas (27-30 July 2015)
Operators and engineers from the South Mediterranean countries involved in wastewater treatment (WWT) and other stakeholders will be introduced, trained and exposed to natural treatment systems (NTS) that are being operated in a European region (Sicily-Italy) presenting hydrological and environmental conditions similar to those of these countries. The activity will show that NTSs are technically and economically viable option for WWT especially in rural areas.
To download the draft agenda click here
Training of users involved in the pilot implementation of the regional Monitoring and Evaluation system (M&E) related to the Participatory Irrigation Management / Irrigation Management Transfer (PIM/IMT) process in Tunisia (27-29 July 2015) and Jordan (2-4 August 2015)
The training will introduce the refined version of the MONEVA system - a computer application developed by SWIM-SM to monitor and evaluate the process PIM/IMT - and the procedures that have been recently developed to anchor the use of the system in the pilot countries (Jordan and Tunisia).
Participants will include representatives of the national, regional and local partners involved in the pilot implementation of the M & E system. Relevant stakeholders from Egypt and Palestine, who have expressed their interest for this activity, will also join the training in Jordan.
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Supporting National policies for the establishment of water & aquatic environment prosecution and magistrates systems in Lebanon and Palestine
This activity aims to improve compliance with water and aquatic environment regulations in the two countries by:
- Strengthening the coordination among water relevant sectors for defining the water activities classification, the permitting system and the related administrative sanctions.
- Proposing amendments to the penal sanction classification and definitions to fit a large number and most common violations experienced in each of the two countries.
- Developing an action oriented plan for creating and/or enhancing a corps of specialized engineers having sufficient inspectorate capacity force at relevant administrative level.
- Designing a national capacity building training program including study tours for prosecutors and magistrates to enable them prosecute water and aquatic environment violations in courts of law.
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Guidelines for developing National regulations for Managed Aquifers Recharge (MAR) with adequately treated wastewater in Algeria, Egypt and Palestine
This activity supports Algeria, Egypt and Palestine in their efforts to apply Managed Artificial Recharge (MAR) in a more consistent and regulated manner, so as to reap the full benefits of this application.
In fact, although MAR is widely used in most South Mediterranean countries on an ad hoc unregulated basis to enhance water supplies, uptake has been constrained by lack of a policy and a clear, consistent regulatory framework that allows the advantages of MAR to be materialized.
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Assessment of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) monitoring indicators in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon
This activity supports the implementation of IWRM plans and policies in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon by proposing a credible monitoring system based on a set of indicators reflecting the IWRM holistic approach.
In order to establish a point of reference, the state of the art in developing and utilizing IWRM monitoring indicators in two Euro Mediterranean countries (France and Spain) with an advanced IWRM planning and implementation will also be investigated.
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NEWS FROM THE SWIM DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
SWIM-ACLIMAS News - Adaptation to Climate Change of the Mediterranean Agricultural Systems
The project is implemented in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia and promotes the adaptation of Mediterranean agricultural systems to climate change through a combination of modern and traditional water management and conservation techniques and new and indigenous varieties of cereals and legumes resistant to difficult climatic conditions.
In the months April-June 2015 the project has organised trainings and field days in several of its beneficiary countries and it has also contributed to National and International events to promote dissemination and visibility of the projects achievements.
Click here to read more about the activities implemented
Click here to read more about the activities planned
SWIM-All Across the Jordan News - Transboundary NGO Master Planning of the Lower Jordan River Basin
The project is implemented in Israel, Jordan and Palestine with the aim to publish the first ever trans-boundary integrated master plan for the Lower Jordan River Basin while advancing political will for adopting a regional approach to IWRM among key Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian figures.
In the months April-June 2015 the project has discussed with National Palestinian stakeholders the National Master Plan recently prepared and has later on organised a regional Conference during which the overall NGO Master Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley was presented. This Conference marked the end of the project.
Click here to read more about the activities implemented
SWIM IMPROWARE News - Innovative Means to Protect Water Resources in the Mediterranean Coastal Areas through Re-injection of Treated Water
The project aims to demonstrate and promote environmentally sustainable water management policies and practices in Egypt and Tunisia, with focus on wastewater treatment activities directed to produce water of appropriate quality levels for its successive re-injection into coastal aquifers
In the months April-June 2015 the project has progressed with the upgrade of Nobariya and Korba wastewater treatment plants. Moreover it has elaborated a set of simulated artificial aquifer recharge scenarios for Nobariya area. IMPROWARE project duration has been extended up to February 2016.
Click here to read more about the activities implemented and planned
SWIM Sustain Water MED News - Network of Demonstration Activities for Sustainable Integrated Wastewater Treatment and Reuse in the Mediterranean
The project aims at improving sustainable integrated management of non-conventional water resources, with emphasis on wastewater treatment and reuse in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.
In the months April-June 2015 Sustain Water MED has finalized the contract for the construction of the demonstration facility in Egypt and finalised the works related to the facilities in Morocco and Tunisia. In Jordan the project has built capacities of the engineers dealing with the management of the wastewater treatment plant (recently built by the project) on operation and maintenance of the facility, while outlet equipment for uploading the excess treated wastewater by Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) tankers and flood preventing technical measures were also provided. Moreover, during the 6th regional meeting of the project’s Consortium partners, it was focused on sustainability of activities and ways to promote further outreach.
Click here to read about the activities implemented
SWIM WADIS-MAR News - Water harvesting and Agricultural techniques in Dry lands: an Integrated and Sustainable model in MAghreb Regions
The project aims at contributing to an integrated, sustainable and participative water harvesting and agriculture management in the watersheds of Oued Biskra in Algeria and Oum Zessar in Tunisia characterized by the overexploitation of groundwater, with a view to promote adaptation to climate change conditions and particularly droughts.
In April-June 2015 the project finalized the hydrological modeling of Oued Biskra aquifer where recharge activities with storm water are planned. Moreover, tendering procedures for specific hydrological works were re-launched and finalised both in Algeria and Tunisia. The project was also very active in visibility and dissemination activities.
Click here to read more about the project’s activities
Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) aims to contribute to the extensive dissemination and effective implementation of sustainable water management policies and practices in the Southern Mediterranean Region in the context of increasing water scarcity, combined pressures on water resources from a wide range of users, desertification processes and in connection with climate change.
