Full Title and Acronym

Innovative Means to Protect Water Resources in the Mediterranean Coastal Areas through Re-injection of Treated Water (IMPROWARE)

Target Countries / Areas

EGYPT:   Nubaryia Wadi El Natrun area

TUNISIA: Korba

Overall Objective(s)

• To demonstrate and promote environmentally sustainable water management policies and practices in Egypt and Tunisia, challenging the deterioration of aquifers caused by saltwater intrusion due to over-exploitation and climate change;
• To support the agricultural and economic activities of the local rural communities in the demonstration sites.
• To derive examples of best practice and “lessons learned” from the action, nurturing consensus building and to share sustainable co-operation experience and capacities;
• To disseminate sustainable policies, practices and lessons learnt within the Mediterranean region, including to other ENPI partner countries.

Specific Objectives of Demonstration Activities

• To enhance the recharge of coastal aquifers by injecting treated wastewater of appropriate quality levels achieved via treatment plants, including constructed wetlands;
• To contrast the overexploitation of potable groundwater and increase water availability for local communities, addressing the saltwater intrusion.
• To disseminate the practices and lessons learnt during the project in the 2 countries, utilizing extensively a full participatory approach aiming to a wide stakeholders engagement.

Expected outputs of Demonstration Activities

• Cost-effective, environmental-friendly, easily-replicable methodologies to treat waste water and reuse for aquifers’ recharge are developed as “pilot” models in Egypt and Tunisia;
• Know-how is transferred to other ENPI countries;
• Planning, management skills and policies are improved at sub-regional and regional level;
• Regional co-operation in the area of sustainable and integrated water management increased;
• Decision-makers in the Mediterranean and the society at large is empowered to:   i) tackle increasing demand for water resources;                                                                   ii) adapt to climate changes;                                                                                    iii) act against desertification.

Leader Organisation / Institution

Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea (IMELS) - Italy

Partner Organisations

1. University Consortium for Industrial and Managerial Economics (CUEIM) - Italy
2. University Consortium for Socio-Economic Research and for the Environment (CURSA) - Italy
3. Aarhus University (AAH) – (Denmark)
4. Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) – Egypt
5. Office National de l’Assainissement (ONAS) - Tunisia

Contact details

Ms. Rizzo Valeria

Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea (IMELS) - Italy

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