FEMIP Countries: Study on Use of Wastewater

Identification and Removal of Bottlenecks for Extended Use of Wastewater for Irrigation or other Purposes in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia

The southern Mediterranean countries are characterised by arid or semi-arid climates and have only limited fresh water resources. Most of these countries have started to explore new ways of meeting their fresh water demand, for instance through desalination or the reuse of wastewater.

: Morocco: Activated sludge treatment plant in Béni Mellal

: Tunisia: Irrigation of olive trees using treated wastewater

http://www.aht-group.com/ww-reuse

The European Investment Bank - through the FEMIP Trust Fund - financed a comparative study to examine the current reuse of wastewater in the region. It should identify bottlenecks preventing a more extensive use and analyse how these bottlenecks could be removed or reduced. The study focused on five of the nine FEMIP partner countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia where the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation or other purposes would be an important climate change mitigation measure.

The study assessed factors that contributed to a conducive environment for reuse and identify significant existing and planned wastewater reuse schemes including sludge disposal with a realistic potential for implementation within five years. The study also identified and contacted key persons, promoters of already existing schemes and other relevant stakeholders in the target countries. The following outputs were to be achieved:

a technical paper presenting the latest treatment technologies, pollutant analyses as well as legal, institutional, economic and public opinion issues;
concise country reports describing the present situation, reuse potentials and planned schemes;
project briefs for identified potential schemes;
an internet platform for communication and dissemination of results and contributions;
a network for the exchange of experiences among the different key players from the target countries;
organisation of a final workshop with selected key players.

Activities:

Water policy analysis and evaluation of national water master plans;
Institutional framework analysis (role, tasks, function, responsibilities of key players in the water sector, charged with integrated water resources management, water quality control and enforcement of laws, rules and regulations);
Analysis of existing water sector relevant legislation, decrees and regulations governing aspects such as ownership of water, water extraction and use, water user rights, water distribution, water quality standards, environmental protection, environmental impact assessment, conditions for reuse, sludge disposal, etc.;
Economic aspects: tariff policy and subsidies, water tariffs for domestic and industrial water supply and sanitation, irrigation water tariffs, cost recovery for O&M and investment costs.
Formulation of recommendations to overcome the major bottlenecks identified.

Contract value: 200,000 Euro

Client: European Investment Bank

Financed by: FEMIP Trust Fund

Period: 2008 - 2009