SWIM consists of two major Components, which are inter-related and complement each other:
NEWS FROM THE SWIM-SUPPORT MECHANISM
Documentation of Best Practices in non-revenue water management shows how Algeria, Israel, Jordan and Morocco increased their available water supply
By reducing losses (also called non-revenue water (NRW)) - amounting in some cases up to 50% of the water supply available for the consumer - countries may double the availability of this resource, reduce unbilled consumption and increase revenues for the concerned utilities. As reported in this recent study Algeria, Israel, Jordan, and Morocco managed to increase their available water supply by cutting their water losses.
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New SWIM-SM guide describes the options of getting funds from the private sector to finance water infrastructure and services
Improving access to water and sanitation is a goal set by all South Mediterranean Countries that needs substantial financial resources to be accomplished. Partnering with the private sector is an option that can be considered to close the financial gap if there are gains in service efficiency and reduction in costs. Based on the potential for involving the private sector as partner in water infrastructure investments and management, this guide aims to contribute in developing a better understanding of the potential for private sector participation (PSP) in Water Supply Services Delivery, with emphasis at the local level (i.e. municipal, governorate, provincial or district, rural areas) and at the financial sustainability.
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Wastewater management in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia: current situation and the way ahead
These reviews of wastewater strategies and plans in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia serve as a status update and as a tool to assist the countries to prepare a roadmap and an action plan for future programs on sanitation. They identify weaknesses and suggest potential interventions to face existing challenges. The reviews have been validated and finalized after a National consultation organized in each of the three countries.
Read more about the reviews prepared for Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia by clicking on the country’s name
Assessment of the cost of water resources degradation of the Oum Er-Rbia River Basin in Morocco
This activity aimed at evaluating the cost of degradation of water resources at the Oum Er- Rbia watershed to help decision makers at national and local level identify and prioritize specific actions to improve the management of the basin through the funding of potential projects related to environmental benefits and reduction of externalities.
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Guidelines on measures for improving compliance with water legislations and assessment of enforcement capacity in the SWIM-SM region with focus on Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Morocco
Ineffective rule of law is a main challenge towards implementing Integrated Water Resources management (IWRM) concepts, as identified by a regional review recently conducted in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco by the SWIM-Support Mechanism.
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Kick-off Meeting of the Pilot Implementation for the System to Monitor and Evaluate the Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) and Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) Process in Tunisia (16 January 2014, Tunis)
Following the development of a regional system to enable the effective Monitoring & Evaluation of participatory irrigation management (PIM) and Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) process in the SWIM Partner Countries (PCs), SWIM-SM is now proceeding with a pilot implementation of the system in two PCs, namely Jordan and Tunisia.
The kick-off meeting of the pilot implementation in Tunisia was organized in Tunis on 16 January.
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ON-GOING AND PLANNED ACTIVITIES
Collection and wide dissemination of “solutions” for sustainable integrated water management in the South Mediterranean
The collection process for success stories presenting local solutions for sustainable water resources management that have replicability potential at regional scale has been launched in February and will be closed on 30 April 2014.
Solutions should fall under the following topics: non-conventional water resources, water governance, economic valuation of water degradation and remediation actions and water financing, and no-regret action for adaptation to climate change.
The collection process consists in a wide invitation of relevant SWIM stakeholders (at the Regional-Mediterranean and National levels) to submit preliminary ideas for evaluation by a panel of experts.
Expert Group Meeting on Desalination in the Mediterranean (23-24 June 2014)
The Expert Group Meeting is organized with a dual purpose: (1) to review, discuss and validate the findings of a recent SWIM-SM assessment on cumulative environmental impacts of desalination in the Mediterranean region; and (2) to review the overall results of SWIM-SM activities on desalination, with the aim of establishing a regional dialogue culminating into the formulation of a draft strategic policy note on prospects of desalination in the Mediterranean region.
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NEWS FROM THE SWIM DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
SWIM-ACLIMAS project 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.
ACLIMAS activities in the months of January-March 2014mostly focused on organizing field days, training workshops and technical visits in the beneficiary countries. New materials, leaflets and videos have been also uploaded on the project’s website.
Click here to read more about the project’s news and achievements
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 past months the draft Baseline Report describing the current situation in the Lower Jordan River Basin and Valley was released and two public hearings were organized with relevant stakeholders in Jordan and Palestine to collect comments and feedback.
Click here to read more about the project’s news and achievements
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 January-March2014 the project has implemented technical and hydrogeological surveys in the Egyptian demonstration site to assess the extent of deterioration of the aquifer and has planned for future investigations. Moreover, it has focused on enhancing the participatory approach and its communication efforts in both beneficiary countries.
Click here to read more about the project’s news and achievements
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 January-March 2014 Sustain Water MED advanced with the construction of the wastewater treatment pilot project in Jordan and prepared and launched a set of tenders for additional pilot activities in the beneficiary countries. Moreover, several trainings and study visits were organized in Morocco and Tunisia.
Click here to read more about the project’s news and achievements
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.
