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Project title WATER DEMAND INTEGRATION -WADI
Funding Agency EC Period: 2006-2008
Partners
EU ITALY, SPAIN, Portugal, Malta,
MPC Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt
Objectives and results of the action
1. to encourage the rational and sustainable use of freshwater resources within the Mediterranean coastal areas,
experiencing
freshwater scarcity, through participatory approaches;
2. to identify conflicts of use among stakeholders arising from improper management of water bodies and related
constraints within selected study sites, across the Mediterranean coastal areas, which suffer from water scarcity and
associated constraints;
3. to assess and estimate the impact/s of various water uses as well as nearby human activities on coastal water bodies,
such as fluvial systems, estuaries, marshlands and lagoons;
4. to produce interdisciplinary scientific inputs for improved participatory water management strategies and related
planning regimes for a rational use of water resources, taking into consideration economical, socio-cultural and
environmental constraints at the local level, without losing sight of other broader scales (national, regional and
international);
5. to develop and propose alternative management strategies and plans for the selected sites as well as general
guidelines for appropriate and sustainable management of water resources in Mediterranean coastal areas;
6. to establish a network of scientists, authorities and local communities within the Mediterranean, to enhance local
awareness on water quality, use and misuse.
ACTIONS
1. Key issues of water demand and sustainability of selected water bodies (study sites) were identified through meetings
with different stakeholders. A conceptual framework was developed for the context of each case study;
2. Impacts were assessed, indicators of impacts were identified and their magnitude estimated according to prevailing
conditions at each study site. Databases were built and results were integrated in G.I.S., providing suitable interfaces
for management purposes. Models were developed to highlight trends of changes, and influential
factors estimated;
3. Soft-system analysis was used to identify key issues and constraints for subsequent management of water resources.
The results of the analyses conducted in the case studies have helped to develop alternative scenarios;
4. These alternative scenarios have been proposed to the stakeholders for the specific cases analysed, and in a wider
context in the Mediterranean;
5. The follow up was made through international meetings held in different countries.
RESULTS
The project has contributed to enhance local competence for a sustainable use of water bodiesand to reduce existing
and potential conflicts for water uses between different stakeholders, with special attention given to the weakest
components of the community and to sustainability at the advantage of future generations.
Throughout the project comparisons of various case-studies over the Mediterranean coastal areas were conducted, at
both northern and southern sides, in international co-operation and in collaboration with governmental and local
stakeholders of different Mediterranean countries.
Data bases on a wide geographical scale (ideally the Mediterranean region, comparing data bases) and time scale (using
time series) have been produced to enhance the power of the management plans and to assist stakeholders to apply
for financial support at the national and international levels.
The project contributed to identify the various stakeholders in different case studies and their various forms of
contribution to water management according to various physical, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. This
assisted in profiling different local communities and defining the roles of men and women at different areas
and levels
in water management and planning.
The specific role of women as end users of water was a main focus and special attention was
paid to their involvement
in the local dissemination of the project findings and results.
Dissemination material has been produced to convey messages easy to understand about the importance of water
resource and its conservation through a correct use.
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Project title
DEMOWARE – INNOVATION DEMONSTRATION FOR A COMPETITIVE AND INNOVATIVE EUROPEAN
WATER RE-USE SECTOR
Funding Agency EC Period: (2014-2016)
Partners Countries
EU: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy,
Other: Switzerland, Israel
Objectives of the action
The ability of Europe’s communities to respond to increasing water stress by taking advantage of water
reuse opportunities is restricted by low public confidence in solutions, inconsistent approaches to
evaluating costs and benefits of reuse schemes, and poor coordination of the professionals and
organisations who design, implement and manage them. The DEMOWARE initiative will rectify these
shortcomings by executing a highly collaborative programme of demonstration and exploitation, using
nine existing and one greenfield site to stimulate innovation and improve cohesion within the evolving
European water reuse sector. The project is guided by SME & industry priorities and has two central
ambitions; to enhance the availability and reliability of innovative water
reuse solutions, and to create
a unified professional identity for the European Water Reuse sector. By deepening the evidence base
around treatment processes and reuse scheme operation (WP1), process monitoring and performance
control (WP2), and risk management and environmental benefit analysis (WP3) DEMOWARE will
improve both operator and public confidence in reuse schemes. It will also advance the quality and
usefulness of business models and pricing strategies (WP4) and generate culturally and regulatory
regime specific guidance on appropriate governance and stakeholder collaboration processes (WP5).
Project outcomes will guide the development of a live in-development water reuse scheme in the
Vendée (WP6). Dissemination (WP7) and exploitation (WP8) activities, including the establishment of
a European Water Reuse Association, ensure that DEMOWARE will shape market opportunities for
European solution providers and provide an environment for the validation and benchmarking of
technologies and tools. Ultimately the DEMOWARE outcomes will increase Europe’s ability to profit
from the resource security and economic benefits of water reuse schemes without compromising
human health and environmental integrity.
Results and impacts
The activities delivered through the project will support equipment and scheme designers, planners
and operational staff. The programme has two central ambitions:
(i) to enhance the availability and reliability of innovative water reuse solutions, and
(ii) to create a unified professional identity for the European Water Reuse sector.
DEMOWARE has been developed through close collaboration between SMEs (many of which are
research active), major industrial players in the European reuse sector, and several of Europe’s leading
water reuse research institutions. It has also been informed by both European and national level
studies as well as by consultation with major stakeholders such as the European Water Supply and
Sanitation Technology Platform (WssTP) and water service & equipment providers who all urge greater
coordination of efforts to overcome the barriers which constrain the emergence of a vibrant European
water reuse sector.