EMWIS Flash N°92, July/August 2011

EMWIS Flash - July/August 2011 Euro-Mediterranean Information System on the know-how in the Water Sector EMWIS is a program of the Union for the Mediterranean. For further information: www.emwis.net Monthly Flash produced by the EMWIS Technical Unit- OIEAU, CEDEX, SOGESID- It is available in English, French & Arabic. (French & Arabic versions are available few days later) Mediterranean Water Information Mechanism / Geo-Catalogue / UfM-Water

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In this issue N°92 (www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash92)
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HEADLINE
1- Launch of the intercontinental Mediterranean process for the World Water Forum 2012 (WWF6)
IN BRIEF
2- Med water knowledge hub highlighted at the last IPEMED water workshop in view of the World Water Forum 2012
3- EMWIS & UNU-INWEH signed a cooperation agreement
4- EC proposes 40 per cent rise in neighbourhood policy funding
5- EU provides €4 million to help Palestinians face drought
6- Malta reservoir suffers water quality damage
7- Morocco inaugurates EIB-financed Oujda wastewater treatment plant
8- Algeria: an example for MENA countries in mobilizing water
9- Algeria: A new water information system as a logistics reinforcement
10- Tunisia: New measures to ensure the supply of mineral water
11- Tunisia: Tunis Seminar on Partnerships for the right to water
12- Egypt: World Bank supports improved rural sanitation for 1.2 million people
13- Lebanon: Launching of a hydro-agricultural project
14- Palestine: The FEMIP seeking funds for the desalination plant in Gaza
15- Palestine: US artists raise awareness about water crisis in Gaza
16- Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli environmental professionals to find common solutions to problems of drought
17- Israel: Ashdod desalination plant gets financial approval
18- Israeli wastewater-electricity startup uses microbial fuel cell
19- Euphrates-Tigris: A View from Syria
20- Iraq launches groundwater database to reduce uncertainty in the country’s water supply
21- Launch of new GEF project on "Groundwater Governance"
22- MedPartnership expert meeting in Madrid
23- Achieving equitable access to water and sanitation still requires action throughout the UNECE region, east & west
24- Lack of data on droughts hampers risk reduction efforts
25- Towards a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in the European Neighbourhood
26- Water quality and wastewater treatment: WISE interactive maps updated
27- Waterloss project: management of water losses in drinking water supply system
28- IWC6: 6th Biennial International Waters Conference
NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS  
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
PROJECTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS

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HEADLINE
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1- On 6 June 2011, the International Forum Committee validated the participation of the Mediterranean cross-continental process for the 6th World Water Forum. In this context the 1st Mediterranean Water Forum will be organized in Marrakech, on December 12-13, 2011, as a specific milestone in the Mediterranean preparatory process. The Mediterranean preparatory process was initiated during a regional meeting held in Murcia on April 18 and 19, 2011. It is supported by a Steering Committee involving a certain number of countries, regional networks and national institutions with a regional outlook. Two priority components have been identified and 4 key questions: i) Water Demand management; ii) Use of non-conventional water resources; iii) Water governance; iv) Collection and treatment of industrial and urban wastewater. On this basis, eight (8) target objectives will be defined and linked to the 12 key priorities and 3 conditions for success defined by the Forum's thematic process, as well as the targets from the continents that make up the region, namely: Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Further information on WWF website.

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- As part of its work on water issues in the Mediterranean and in view of the forthcoming World Water Forum to be held in Marseille in March 2012, the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Mediterranean World (IPEMED) organized a first water workshop in Paris. Around a panel comprising representatives of institutes specialized in water (IME, OIEAU, EMWIS, Maghreb Mashreq Alliance for Water, etc.), representatives of water agencies, operators and intergovernmental institutions (European Commission, Secretariat of the UfM), discussions focused on the concept of water knowledge hub, pooling and extending the resources and technical skills centers and networks of existing expertise, and at longer term the possibility to create a water agency for the Mediterranean region guided by the principles of integrated water resources management and water use. This approach is expected to produce greater synergy between the water actors of the Mediterranean. Regarding the first proposal, the idea of developing a tool capable of gathering and sharing across the Mediterranean basin of water information received the approval of most participants. This mechanism already exists in large part with the EMWIS (Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sector) but can not be considered now as a true resource center. Greater coordination of data collection and access to larger data are among the main expectations. Several participants expressed their wish that this new structure is not limited to the mobilization of knowledge, but is interdisciplinary. Training, research and development, the prospective transfer of know-how, etc ... are all areas in which the Hub could develop and pool the expertise of existing institutes, relying in particular on the network heads. The idea of creating a Mediterranean Water Agency must be studied more thoroughly. It could be based on the branch network of the Mediterranean basin (MENBO) and set common guidelines for the management of water, promote the exchange of experiences between each basin agency, fund structures and encourage setting up meetings bringing together all stakeholders throughout a watershed (such as river basin committees). A second workshop should be held in September in Porto slinked to the MENBO general assembly (Portugal). Further information on EMWIS website.

3- Last 16^th June 2011, the Euro- Mediterranean Information System on Know How in the Water Sector (EMWIS) and the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU- INWEH) signed an agreement of cooperation consistent with their respective mandates and interests, in implementing water information systems, in training and Capacity Building for Sustainable Water Management  at regional and national levels. The programme of cooperation will include interalinea: the implementation of projects on water topics of common interest (water scarcity and drought; water quality, water information systems, non conventional water resources, IWRM); the organization of regional and national events to mobilize regional and national water actors; the technical and managerial training in all aspects of integrated water resources management. During this two years programme, EMWIS and UNU-INWEH will deploy all the necessary efforts for the implementation of the Arab Databank for shared water resources as proposed by the Strategy for Water of the Arab Countries and supported by the Center of Water and Arab Water Security Studies (League of Arab States). Further information on EMWIS website.

4- A total of €16.1 billion will be allocated for the future European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI), according to a Communication on the budget for the next financial framework 2014-2020, proposed by the European Commission. If adopted, the new funding for the neighbourhood policy would represent a rise of more than 40%, compared to the €11.4 billion under the current European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), which covers the current financial period 2007-2013. The future European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) would continue to provide the bulk of funding to the European Neighbourhood countries, essentially through bilateral, regional and cross border co-operation programmes.  Further information on EMWIS website.

5- The European Commission has allocated €4 million to address water scarcity which is affecting people in the occupied Palestinian territory. Rainfall in the area is 59% down from the rainy season average and the drought is testing the resilience of many Palestinian communities with water and fodder shortages, according to a European Commission press release. The new funding will provide water for around 50,000 people and their livestock in the West Bank. Special attention will be paid to those most affected by the combination of drought and Israeli-imposed restrictions – in southern Hebron, the Northern Jordan valley and other parts of Area C (which contains the Israeli settlements, buffer zones and includes the Judean Desert and much of the Jordan Valley). The control over water sources is one of the issues at stake in the conflict between Israeli and Palestinians in the occupied territory.  Between 2000 and the beginning of 2011 the European Commission provided €600 million in humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as for Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Further information on EMWIS website.

6- One of Malta's biggest reservoirs has been closed down after its water quality was compromised. The Water Services Corporation (WSC) was forced to stop supplies coming from the Fiddien Reservoir when a quantity of engine oil was found to be dumped in the water. Leaders at the WSC have since carried out tests and confirmed last July 29th that the water was once again within EU Drinking Water Directive guidelines. However, a magistrate in the country has insisted upon further investigations, which are to be carried out by an independent body. In the meantime, residents of Rabat and Dingli will see their water supplies rationed on a schedule of a few hours per area. A recent study by the European Commission found that bathing water standards across Malta were among the best on the continent, with 95 per cent of beaches being described as "excellent". Further information on EMWIS website.

7- Two urban projects financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Morocco have recently been inaugurated by King Mohammed VI: the Rabat-Salé tramway and the Oujda wastewater treatment plant, according to an EIB spotlight on “these two major environmental and economic success stories”. Designed for a population of some 530,000, it has a wastewater treatment capacity of 40,000 m3 a day, the equivalent of 14.6 million m3 of raw wastewater that used to be discharged each year into Oued Bounaim north of the city. Built on a 60 hectare site, the plant is energy efficient and uses no chemicals thanks to a 100%-natural aerated lagoon process. This lagoon wastewater treatment process uses the sun’s ultraviolet rays for final disinfection of the water. The plant will also help to save water through the re-use of the treated wastewater to irrigate some 1,200 hectares of farmland. Further information on EMWIS website.

8- Algeria is "an exemplary country" in the Middle East, North Africa (MENA region) in the mobilization and rational utilization of water resources, said recently a representative of the World Bank (WB). Speaking at a workshop on "Prospects of water in the MENA region, linking the desalination and renewable energy", the WB said that Algeria was committed to a balanced policy mobilization and diversification of water resources at a time when several countries in the region face serious difficulties to supply their populations with drinking water. Further information on EMWIS website.

9- The new integrated water information system, designed as part of the program to support the Algerian water sector (water I), funded by the EU, was offially inaugurated by the Algerian Ministry of Water Resources, in the presence of Algerian Minister of Industry, and the Head of EU Delegation in Algiers. This system will allow managing real-time information and data exchange between the different structures of the Ministry, namely, the 48 branches of hydraulics and the various agencies. There is also . It consists on one side of the data center, with a central server that provides access, via an Intranet, to all information and applications used by the ministry an include a national Geographical Information System, an electronic data management system and integrated planning tools for decision support." The second, the video conferencing system allows civil servants to communicate and hold meeting without moving. EU-funded to the tune of 20 million Euros over a period of 54 months, the program to support the Algerian water sector has also strengthened the human capacities of the water sector and contributed to developing the National Water master plan up to 2025, Ms. Baeza, head of the EU Delegation said that this program could be followed by a new one (WATER II) with a funding of 30 million Euros that could be signed by the end of July 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

10- Tunisian consumers are increasingly finding it difficult to get mineralized water in supermarkets because of the particularly active smuggling on the Libyan border and because of shortage. To avoid the deterioration of the situation, the Tunisian Ministry of Trade and Tourism recently decided to support production units  to adopt measures to promote and apply discounts on prices. The leaders of these units are also committed to give top priority to the domestic market and to sell their products only to authorized distributors. Further information on EMWIS website.

11- The Office of Innovative Partnerships Program of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) held on 28 and 29 June 2011 in Tunis, an international seminar on strategies and mechanisms able to boost the achievement of the target 7C of the Millennium development and guarantee the universal right to water. Further information on EMWIS website.

12- The World Bank has approved a US$ 200 million loan to support Egypt’s Second Integrated Sanitation and Sewerage Infrastructure Project (ISSIP 2) in four Governorates: two in the Delta Region and two in Upper Egypt. The project will provide about 1.2 million people in the Governorates of Menoufia, Sharkeya, Assiut and Sohag with increased access to improved sanitation and sewerage services through the construction of wastewater infrastructure systems in 19 village clusters. The National Organization for Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage and the Holding Company for Water and Waste Water and its four subsidiaries are implementing the project. The Government of Egypt has prepared a National Rural Sanitation Master Plan, which aims to achieve 100% sanitation coverage in all rural Governorates by 2037. In 2008, the World Bank provided a US$ 120 million loan for the first Integrated Sanitation and Sewerage Infrastructure Project (ISSIP1) in the three Delta Governorates of Beheira, Gharbeya and Kafr El Sheikh. Further information on EMWIS website.

13- The Litani River Authority (LRA) has initiated a pilot project, conducted under the United Nations Development Program, which aims to bring water from the region of Bekaa to the south of Lebanon. The “Hydro Agricultural Development Project of Marjayoun” intends to increase water resources used for irrigation by farmers located in south Lebanon. The Spanish government is financing the initiative via the Lebanese Recovery Fund. The project will focus on land reclamation by constructing infrastructure for irrigation networks and improving the quality of the soil. It will provide farmers with wheat seeds to be cultivated on their lands for two consecutive years. The project will also advocate for a law establishing a Water User Association in order to ensure good water use management as well as the operation and maintenance of irrigation networks. Further information on EMWIS website.

14- During the eleventh conference of the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) (Brussels -12th July 2011); UfM Secretariat asked FEMIP to look for funds from European states to build a desalination plant in Gaza. The first UfM draft adopted in late June 2011 by its members aims to solve the shortage of water in Gaza by installing a seawater desalination factory which can produce 100 million cubic meters of potable water per year . According to the General Secretariat of UfM, it would require an investment of € 310 million. According to the Palestinian authorities to manage the water pushing the issue since 2003, this plant is the best solution to the shortage of water in the Gaza Strip and thus to contribute to political stability. Further information on EMWIS website.

15- A delegation of US artists visited Gaza to bring worldwide attention to the water crisis in the besieged territory. The artists came to help the local community paint murals about drinking water a basic human right. The initiative is part of the Water Writes project of the Estria Foundation, which is creating a series of 10 collaborative mural projects in 10 cities across the globe in areas impacted by water rights issues. Water experts say that more than 90% of ground water in Gaza is not suitable for human consumption, adding that Palestinians get only a quarter of the water Israelis have access to. According to the Gaza Coastal Municipal Water Utility, Gaza will not have any fresh groundwater by 2015. Gazans consume more than 170 million liters from an aquifer which is the only source of groundwater in the strip. The murals in Gaza are being painted at the sites of water treatment units, which have been installed at schools and kindergartens, as part of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) Maia project, which was launched in September 2009, to provide Palestinian children with clean drinking water. Further information on EMWIS website.

16- The water was a central theme of the 15th Clean Tech Exhibition, organized by the group Mashov, at Exhibition in Tel Aviv (Israel), from 5th to 7th July 2011.  Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli environmental professionals tried to find common solutions to problems of drought, over-exploitation of natural resources and political tensions that make access to water each year more difficult for a large part of the population of the Middle East. Further information on EMWIS website.

17- Israel's Ministerial Tender Committee for Desalination, under the Finance Ministry, announced on 7 July 2011 that it had accepted the proposal from national water company Mekorot to build the seawater desalination plant in Ashdod. Under the terms of the contract, the company undertook to complete the financial closing of the project by 15 September 2011, with the date of commencement of supply of water set at September 2013. The price of water from the project will be ILS 2.4/m³ (US$ 0.70/m³) in real terms. Following completion of the Ashdod project and the 150 m³/d desalination facility at Soreq, at least 540 million m³/year of desalinated water will be available, constituting about 40% of total freshwater consumption in the country.  Further information on EMWIS website.

18- An Israeli startup company producing wastewater-to-electricity technology has received investment from General Electric and other major global players in its latest funding round, announced on 28 June 2011.  Emefcy, based in Caesarea, has developed a system based on a microbial fuel cell (MFC) with an ion-exchange membrane at its heart. Its Megawatter™ system enables direct electricity generation or hydrogen production from wastewater while simultaneously providing wastewater treatment. The benefits are both economic and environmental. Conventional wastewater treatment, says GE, uses 2% of global power capacity (80,000 MW) and 57 million tons per year of CO₂, costing US$ 40 billion/year. Rather than using conventional energy-intensive aerobic processes or methane-producing anaerobic digestion to treat wastewater, Emefcy harvests renewable energy directly from the wastewater and feeds it to the power grid, creating an energy-positive wastewater treatment plant. Further information on EMWIS website.

19- The wide vocabulary to express the notion of thirst reflects the natural scarcity of water resources in many Arab countries, which is heightened by population growth and frequent drought. Syria is no exception in this: in the last 60 years, per person water availability has dropped from 1,850m³ per year in 1950 to 850m³ in 2003, placing it in the category of countries suffering chronic water scarcity (countries with less than 1,000m³ per person per year, according to UN classifications). Experts predict this figure will decrease further to an annual 400m³ per person by 2030, placing it in the category of countries under “extreme water stress”. Most parts of Syria, including the major cities Damascus and Aleppo, have a water deficit, meaning that more water is used every year than is naturally replenished. Around 90 percent of the country’s water resources is currently used in agriculture, a key sector that employs 25 percent of the labour force and accounts for 20 percent of the country’s GDP. As the country’s population – which has risen from 3.5 million in 1950 to 22 million today – continues to grow, demand for water is set to increase further over the coming years. While all countries in the region are confronted with similar conditions, Syria – and Iraq – is unique in the eastern Mediterranean region for its high ‘dependency ratio’, with an estimated 65 percent of renewable water resources originating from beyond the country’s borders. To date, no formal binding trilateral agreement over water exists between Syria, Turkey and Iraq. Instead, existing informal agreements have allowed the three countries to implement their own development plans, with each country acting unilaterally in the domain of water and development. Cooperation among the three countries would maximize joint benefits, reduce conflict, and lead to fair, balanced, and sustainable development practices. Syria maintains its position towards Turkey that water needs and uses from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers should be based on the principles of the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses which stipulates that watercourse states should use the resource in an “equitable and reasonable manner”. Further information on EMWIS website.

20 - The Government of Iraq reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the ongoing water crisis at a national seminar in Baghdad on 3 July 2011, ushering in phase two of the new National Hydrogeological Resources Assessment Network and Database, known as geoFIA. Representatives of the government, academia and the international community recently met at a high-level gathering in Baghdad to inaugurate the country’s first centralized groundwater database and commission the next phase of the multi-million dollar initiative led by the UNESCO. The seminar officially revealed positive phase one results of the nationwide initiative launched in 2010. GeoFIA can be used by Iraqi experts to collect, update and analyze information on groundwater on a continual basis, enabling more effective water planning by the government. The interactive web-based platform will help the Iraqi government to accelerate their efforts in addressing drought and other water-related problems which until now have been hindered by lack of up-to-date information on underground water. The EU provided the funding for Phase I of the project. In addition H.E. Jana Hybaskova, Ambassador of the EU praised the efforts of the Government and UNESCO and shared the EU’s intention to continue the support for Phase II. Further information on EMWIS website.

21- The UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP) together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) has initiated a new Project on "Groundwater Governance" financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The overall project objective is to increase the awareness on the paramount importance of a sound management of our groundwater resources in preventing and reversing the global water crisis. The project will develop a global "Framework of Action" (FA), consisting of a menu of best practices for the sustainable management of groundwater resources. A fundamental component of the project process consists in a series of Regional Consultations that will aim to: 1) acquire first-hand knowledge of regional issues from local groundwater experts; 2) raise awareness and promote the global groundwater agenda; 3) build consensus on the concept of "groundwater governance", and foster cooperation amongst cross-sectoral stakeholders, decision-makers and specialists.  The Inception meeting of the project will take place at UNESCO HQ on 6-7 September 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

22- UNESCO-IHP organized an Expert Meeting on "Coastal Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems in the Mediterranean" held on 5-6 July 2011 in Madrid, Spain. The meeting, hosted by the Spanish Geological Survey (IGME), was organized under the framework of the GEF MED/MAP MedPartneship project and the Sub-component on "Management of Coastal Aquifers and Groundwater". Regional and international experts on the topic of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GWDE) met in order to discuss the basis for a common methodology for the inventory, characterization, management and protection of coastal GWDE. The requirements for a regional inventory of coastal GWDE in the Mediterranean were also discussed with partner institutions and regional networks such as RAMSAR, IUCN, Wetlands International and Geological Surveys. Further information on EMWIS website.

23- Throughout the UNECE region, several groups of society do not benefit from equitable access to water and sanitation. This was one of the main conclusions of the “Workshop on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation” organized by UNECE, in close cooperation with the Government of France, on 4 and 5 July 2011 in Geneva (Switzerland). The Workshop spotlighted three dimensions of the major inequities faced in access to water and sanitation in the region: 1) The place where people live: in many countries persons living in rural areas have significantly lower levels of access to safe water and improved sanitation; 2) Socio-cultural differences: persons belonging to vulnerable and marginalized groups often face additional barriers to access; and 3) Socio-economic status: for persons with low income, the regular price of water and sanitation services may be unaffordable and prevent them from enjoying a basic level of services. “Achieving equitable access to water and sanitation requires action by all”, concluded the workshop Chair, French Deputy André Flajolet. He stressed that the human right to water and sanitation had, since the recent resolutions by the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, “become universal for all persons and obliges Governments to act.” As President of the French National Water Committee, he explained that it adopted a resolution with a recommendation to limit the water bill to 3% of real income of families and to put in place a system of solidarity financing for each individual bill. In addition, a working group will develop proposals to facilitate the access to water for non sedentary populations. Further information on EMWIS website.

24- Droughts pose a "hidden risk" as they are poorly understood and lack reliable data that could inform mitigation strategies, says a report on global disaster risk. Lack of systematic monitoring means that the risk of impeding drought is largely invisible despite having significant effects on agricultural production, rural livelihoods and economies, says 'Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2011: Revealing Risk, Redefining Development'. According to the report, published by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), current drought risk models are inadequate. Although efforts such as the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS Net from USAID) show how drought risk can be modelled when data is available, there is not enough data to do this at a global level. Although droughts have had catastrophic effects in the past — reducing crop yields by up to 40 per cent in the Caribbean, or causing total crop failure for 75 per cent of farmers in Syria — there is still no way of globally assessing risk. Global annual water demand has tripled since 1960 and is likely to increase due to climate change, says the report, which comes as the worst drought in 60 years is hitting the Horn of Africa, according to UN media briefing last June. It calls for increased global drought surveillance and monitoring of its effects on food security and poverty. Further information on EMWIS website.

25- The project ‘Towards a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in the European Neighbourhood’ was launched in December 2009 to promote the protection of the environment in the European Neighbourhood region through the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI). The project is implemented by the European Environment Agency (EEA) together with partner countries in the ENP South, ENP East and the Russian Federation, bringing together national environmental and statistical organisations leading in the field of environmental information. It will provide a long-term and sustainable perspective for cooperation with the partner countries, as part of the cooperation within the policy framework of the Eastern Partnership, Union for the Mediterranean, Horizon2020 etc. The project is financed through a service contract managed by DG EuropeAid and is envisaged to run until June 2014. It has published its first newsletter. Further information on EMWIS website.

26- A series of maps on water quality, updated with the latest information reported by European countries, has been published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The maps display water quality parameters in various receiving waters across Europe, alongside information on urban wastewater treatment and receiving areas sensitive to eutrophication. The updated maps are useful for water professionals who require a European overview of water issues, or anyone with an interest in the environmental issues affecting their local river, lake or sea. The maps are based on data reported by the EU Member States and EEA member countries. Since this latest update, all interactive maps in the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) have now been updated to the improved format. Further information on EMWIS website.

27- WATERLOSS is a project that is being implemented within the framework of the MED Operational Programme. The partnership consists of organizations from Greece, Italy, Spain, Cyprus France and Slovenia. WATERLOSS follows the EU Water Framework Directive to develop an integrated and sustainable water management policy, and to implement appropriate measures ensuring the conservation of water resources of sufficient quality. The project focuses on the integration of water loss reduction principles in the management plans of drinking water authorities, with particular attention to MED countries where water scarcity and low quality have become major issues during the last years. WATERLOSS will assist regional actors to face the emerging issues of water management and shortage that came up recently as a result of long droughts in many Mediterranean territories. WATERLOSS will develop a methodology for control of non-revenue water in water supply systems, by implementation of a water balance in water systems using GIS-based maps, the use of Performance indicators, a decision support tool and a prioritized list of measures for controlling water losses, adapted to regional conditions. Further information on EMWIS website.

28- The 6th Biennial International Waters Conference will take place in Dubrovnik (Croatia) the days 17-20 October 2011. This year the Conference will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the GEF’s establishment. Thus the Conference will be organized under the slogan Raising the Bar: 20 Years of GEF Transboundary Water Results, and will focus on water management issues and results since 1991. There will be sub-themes focusing on environmental finance (featuring for the first-time a roundtable on corporate and social responsibility with private sector companies), as well as considerations of the institutional & sectoral transformation. The IWC6 will convene at least 300 participants, including GEF IW project managers, representatives of beneficiary countries, non-governmental organizations, transboundary management institutions, UN agencies and the private sector. Collectively they will represent about 70 active GEF IW projects, 80 countries and the various GEF Agencies. Further information on EMWIS website.

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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29- Dr. Hesham Kandil, was nominated Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation in the new Egyptian government. Further information on EMWIS website.

30- During the Board meeting of the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), held in Marseille on July 1st, 2011, Madam Milagros COUCHOUD GREGORI was elected President of the Mediterranean Water Institute. Madam Milagros COUCHOUD began her career in 1966 in the CEDEX (Gabinete de Aplicaciones Nucleares has tired Obras Publicas) until 1980 when she is named Department Head of the Techniques of Measure. From 1989 till 2003, she assures the function of Director of the Center of Technical Studies Applied within the CEDEX where she set up the Section of Engineering of the Environment, the unit asked to come in technological support to the Ministry of the Public Works and to the Ministry of the Environment in Spain. Vice-president in IME since 1996, Madam Milagros COUCHOUD also contributed to the implementation of a large number of regional networks (EIC / FENACORE, REMOB/MENBO, EMWIS, etc.). Further information on EMWIS website.

31- At the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), José Graziano da Silva (Brazil) was elected Director-General, succeeding Jacques Diouf (Senegal). Since 2006, Graziano da Silva has been the FAO Assistant Director General and the Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Graziano da Silva will be the FAO's eighth Director-General, and his term will run from 1 January 2012-31 July 2015. FAO member countries will vote on the FAO operating budget for 2012-2013 at the Conference of the FAO. Further information on EMWIS website.

32- At the European Water Association (EWA) Council meeting on the 1st July 2011, the EWA President Dr Jean Philippe Torterotot (FR) handed over his honorary position to Prof. Pertti Seuna (FI).
Werner Flögl (AT) was appointed Vice President.  Further information on EMWIS website.

33- UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education and partners were awarded a US$8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The grant will be used to excel postgraduate sanitation education and research with a focus on solutions for the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia.  The project will run until 2016 and will be jointly executed by UNESCO-IHE (principal grantee) and its eight partners from developing countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, South‐East Asia and South America. Further information on EMWIS website.

34- UNESCO seeks Director and Secretary of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP): Under the authority and supervision of the Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences (ADG/SC), the incumbent shall be responsible for leading and managing the staff of the Division of Water Sciences (SC/HYD) in order to ensure the smooth planning, management and implementation of the freshwater programmes of UNESCO, as well as serve as Secretary of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) and provide support to the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). Closing date 4 September 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

35- Vacancy announcement: "Executive Secretary of the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS)". Applications must be received by the OSS Executive Secretariat in a sealed envelope marked “Do not open” no later than September 15^th, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

36- The United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015, which implements the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC), and the UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) invite you to nominate your best practice for the 2^nd edition of the “Water for Life” UN-Water Best Practices Award.  The application period is open from 30 June to 30 September 2011. The prize is awarded yearly in two categories, one in best water management practices and another one in best participatory, communication, awareness-raising and education practices. Further information on EMWIS website.

37- The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) in association with the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) invites applications for fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards. To be eligible, entries must be published or broadcast between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012. Last date for submitting the application is April 1, 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

38- MEDRC-Palestine desalination/reuse scholarship program set up: The Oman-based Middle East Desalination Research Centre (MEDRC) and the Palestine Water Authority (PWA) announced on 7 June 2011 a scholarship fund for 2011 through their joint Center of Excellence (CoE) in Desalination & Water Reuse. The scholarship program offers students in Gaza and the West Bank the opportunity to receive scholarships for Masters (MSc) study at local universities with a focus on desalination and waster reuse processes. Further information on EMWIS website.

39- IDRC's Graduate Research Awards on Climate Change and Water (CCW): Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development.  CCW’s Adaptation H2O Graduate Research Awards aim to build research capacity by providing funding to graduate students working on subjects related to climate change and water. Deadline for submitting applications: September 1, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

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PUBLICATIONS
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40- The 6th World Water Forum Thematic Targets now published: Building on the 6^th World Water Forum’s 12 priorities for action (PFA) and 3 conditions for success (CS), the Thematic Process working groups have developed and agreed on 103 concrete targets, to  reached through an action plan and within a defined timeframe. These targets have been identified through a Wide-Involvement Stakeholder Exchanges (WISE) approach. In partnership with the International Forum Committee and the Forum secretariat based in Marseille, over 300 institutions, non-governmental organisations and international networks will now be working together - in 150 working groups - coming from all continents and all fields, technical and scientific, social and educational, humanitarian, and dedicated to identifying key solutions and commitments to help reach these ambitious targets. Further information on EMWIS website.

41- The European Commission has approved funding for 104 new environmental innovation projects in 18 countries under the LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance programme 2010. These projects will demonstrate new methods and techniques for dealing with a wide diversity of Europe's environmental problems.  They represent a total investment of €286 million, of which the EU will provide some €109 million. Further information on EMWIS website.

42- The European Commission has approved funding for 15 new environmental innovation projects in eight countries under the LIFE+ Information & Communications programme in 2010. These projects will either raise the profile of environmental issues, or provide training and awareness-raising for the prevention of forest fires. They represent a total investment of €20.4 million, of which the EU will provide some €10.1 million. Further information on EMWIS website.

43- "Launching of the Publication Water Governance in OECD Countries : a Multilevel Approach" by Mrs. Aziza AKHMOUCH (OECD): This report addresses multilevel governance challenges in water policy design and implementation and identifies good practices for coordinating water policy across ministries, between levels of government, and across local actors at sub-national level. Further information on EMWIS website.

44- The UNESCO IHP project ‘Groundwater for Emergency Situations’ is ambitious and aims to support emergency situations where groundwater resources are being impacted. An excellent summary document not only provides a summary of the project, but provides a well detailed collection of information about groundwater resources. Geographic information systems (GIS) are an integral component of this work, and many maps and examples are provided throughout the document. Further information on EMWIS website.

45- A major objective of the State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture (SOLAW) is primarily to raise awareness on the status of land and water resources, at the same time it scopes and inform on opportunities and challenges. Throughout the years, FAO has established itself as a unique source for a variety of global data on land and water.  SOLAW takes into consideration major drivers of global change, including demands driven by demographics, changing consumption patterns, biofuel production and climate change impacts. Further information on EMWIS website.

46- Better availability and sharing of environmental data between the Gulf states is among the recommendations contained in a "Blue Paper" released on 18 July 2011 by the International Desalination Association (IDA). The result of 12 months work carried out by the IDA's global Environmental Task Force (ETF).  Further information on EMWIS website.

47- Hazardous substances in fresh and marine water can harm aquatic life and pose a risk to human health, according to a new report published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report notes that while European legislation to address the issue is relatively strong, new challenges exist including ‘emerging pollutants’ where potential effects are not yet fully understood. Further information on EMWIS website.

48- The recently launched Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination (IWA Publishing) publishes refereed review articles, theoretical and experimental research papers, new findings and issues of unplanned and planned reuse.  Further information on EMWIS website.

49- "Hydrological Predictions": This book makes an endeavor to improve the accuracy of hydrological forecasting in three aspects, model inputs, selection of models, and data-preprocessing techniques.  Further information on EMWIS website.

50- "UN publishes Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report: sanitation still lagging": Significant strides have been made towards the Millennium Development Goals, yet reaching all the goals by the 2015 deadline remains challenging, as the world's poorest are being left behind, according to the MDG Report 2011.  Further information on EMWIS website.

51- "Water, Life and Civilisation: Climate, Environment and Society in the Jordan Valley": A unique interdisciplinary study of the relationships between climate, hydrology and human society from 20,000 years ago to the present day within the Jordan Valley. It describes how state-of-the-art models can simulate the past, present and future climates of the Near East, reviews and provides new evidence for environmental change from geological deposits, builds hydrological models for the River Jordan and associated wadis and explains how present day urban and rural communities manage their water supply.  Further information on EMWIS website.

52- On the occasion of activities jointly organized by the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC), UN-Habitat, the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) at Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum (20-22 June 2011), different information materials on the human right to water and sanitation have been produced. Further information on EMWIS website.

53- Safe Drinking-Water From Desalination (WHO/HSE/WSH/11.03) was prepared under the auspices of the WHO Drinking-water Quality Expert Group. Its guidance focuses on chemicals and microbes of particular concern in the context of desalination. Further information on EMWIS website.

54- "Integrating water with climate change adaptation plans": This policy brief, published by the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, argues that water resource management should not be overlooked in plans for climate change adaptation in Africa. Africa is vulnerable to climate change impacts which are, in large part, connected by water. Further information on EMWIS website.

55- The latest drinking-water guidelines are now available for download or book order following their global launch at the Singapore International Water Week on 4 July 2011. These Guidelines are the product of systematic revisions over more than five years of extensive consultation with hundreds of experts. Further information on EMWIS website.

56- The KWB - Berlin Centre of Competence for Water June newsletter is available online. Further information on EMWIS website.

57- Safe water and healthy water services in a changing environment: This report summarises existing knowledge of climate change impacts on water services and health; the nature and effectiveness of the policy response; and the coverage and gaps in existing assessments of these themes. Further information on EMWIS website.

58- The right to water concern all public policies. However, everywhere water has become a major issue in France, in Europe in the World. Until now, there was only partial codification of this right, disseminated in several official codes. The second edition of this first "Water Code," completely revised, updated and enriched with detailed analytical index, includes all texts have occurred both in domestic law, in European and international law in an strategic area. Further information on EMWIS website.

59- "The World Council of Water: the origin up to the World Forum in La Haye": Dating back to the origin of ideas that led to the creation of the World Water Council, the book presents the conditions for its establishment and its activities during its first six years of existence including the completion of the first two Forums Water in Marrakech (1997) and Hague (2000) Forums tri annual event has become a global, renewed in Japan (2003), Mexico (2006) and Turkey (2009). Further information on EMWIS website.

60- UNESCO-IHE’s Education and Training Guide 2012 offers a range of educational solutions for professionals from the water arena that wish to increase their professional expertise or refresh their knowledge and skills for today's working environment. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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61- ARIMNet Joint Call for Trasnational Research Proposals: The ARIMNet Project (Agricultural Research In the Mediterranean Network), funded by the European Union, aims at coordinating National Agricultural Research Programmes to strengthen the capacities of its members to address in a coordinated way the major challenges that the Mediterranean agriculture is facing. In this perspective, ARIMNet is lauching a call for joint transnational research, based on funds from 12 participating countries from the northern, eastern and southern part of the Mediterranean Basin. The call is fitted for large projects involving several partners from different countries. Based on a common virtual pot of around 7 million Euros, we expect to finance from 8 to 13 projects. The call is published officially the 20th of June 2011. Proposals should be submitted before the 25th September of 2011 via Electronic Submission System (ESS). Further information on EMWIS website.

62- Call for project on "ICT for efficient water resources management: ICT-2011.6.3": Water management enabled by ICT is a new and promising area with the objective to integrate real-time knowledge on demand and supply across water distribution networks and water sources. The work to be done calls for partnerships between ICT equipment providers, software companies and water authorities. Targeted outcomes: ICT-enabled solutions for integrated water resources management (IWRM), involving as key building blocks: innovative demand management systems, decision support systems and data management technologies. The proposed ICT solutions shall involve robust and proven technologies permitting a holistic approach towards IWRM, and possibly include new data management technologies with realtime predictive capability demand forecasting, advanced metering, real-time communication of consumption patterns, adaptive pricing, and/or combined energy and water management schemes. Deadline: 17 January 2012, at 17:00.00 Brussels local time. Further information on EMWIS website.

63- USAID and Gates Foundation announce US$ 17 million WASH for Life programme: USAID and the Gates Foundation have launched a four-year US$ 17 million partnership to seek, test, and scale innovative solutions for water, sanitation, hygiene in developing countries. WASH for Life will be a dedicated window within USAID's Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) programme. Separate proposals must be submitted for each stage, funding from a previous stage is not required to compete for the next stage. Stage 1: Proof of Concept - one year grant up to US$ 100,000 per project. Stage 2: Pilot and Impact Evaluation - 2-3 year grants for up to US$ 1 million per project. Stage 3: Transitioning Projects to Wide-Scale - 3 year grants between from US$ 1 million to US$ 15 million, match funding required. Deadline: Saturday 15 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

64- The tender: "EuropeAid/131626/C/SER/DZ" under the ENPI for Algeria is to be announced in September by the European Commission. The tender concerns a market that covers: 1) recruit the support unit program (PSU) to support the water sector and sanitation (UAP). A PSU of four senior experts who will support the Algerian authorities, including the program manager responsible for implementing and managing the program. The PSU will need to have support staff, equipment needed and necessary means for its ongoing operations; 2) the availability of the program WATER II of short-term experts for further short periods interventions in different areas. The program will be implemented with the support approach SBS component with additional assistance. Budget: Maximum budget: € 5,500,000. Date expected publication of the procurement notice: September 2011. No applications or requests for information should be sent at this stage of the proceedings. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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65- The IWA World Congress on Water, Climate and Energy, t aking place in Dublin, Ireland 13-18 May 2012, is calling for papers. The Congress will explore topics of resilient and sustainable cities with a focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Papers Deadline: 15 September 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

66- Call for papers Young Scientist Workshop, International Water Week, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 31 October - 4 November. The topic of the Workshop concerns the challenges of providing water systems in urbanizing areas, a cross-cutting topic covering water management, water supply, sanitation and spatial planning.  Further information on EMWIS website.

67- Call for abstracts for BALWOIS 2012: Firth International Conference BALWOIS 2012 on Water, Climate and Environment. The Fifth International Scientific Conference BALWOIS 2012 will be held in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia from 28th May to 2nd June 2012. The topics of 5th BALWOIS 2012 International Conference on which abstracts and papers are submitted are : Topic 1: Climate and Hydrology; Topic 2: Water, Environment and Human Activities; Topic 3: Water Related Risks; Topic 4: Integrated Water Resources Management; Topic 5: Eco-hydrology; Topic 6: Computing and Technologies in Water sector; Others. Deadline for submitting an abstract is: 31st of October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

68- Call for papers for the Conference and Exhibition on "Desalination and the Environment": Clear water & energy. Water and energy are the issues of this millennium. This conference will take place in Barcelona (Spain) in 23-26 April 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

69- Call for abstracts for the Second International Conference on "Groundwater Resources Management: Adaptation Measures to Water Scarcity" jointly organized by UNESCO and the University of Irvine, California (UCI), it will take place from 30 November to 3 December 2011 in Irvine, California, USA. Extended Deadline for submission of abstracts: 1 September 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

70- WASH Media Awards 2011-2012- Call for paper: The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) welcome entries for the fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards. All entries must be received no later than 1st April 2012 together with a duly filled in entry form. Further information on EMWIS website.

71- Call for papers for ACWUA’s 4th Best Practices Conference, 7-8 December 2011 (Sharm Al Sheikh, Egypt): The Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) expect more than 300 participants and delegations to attend the 4th Best Practices Conference in Sharm Al Sheikh, Egypt. Deadline for submitting abstracts: 30 August 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

72- Call for papers for TIAC’12 - IV International Conference on Technology Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers / III International Symposium on Coastal Aquifers and Desalination Plants: Deadline for receipt of summary: October 31, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

73- Call for abstracts for the 2nd International Symposium on the Management and Preservation of Water Resources (CIGPRE 2) to be held in Meknes (Morocco) in the period [04/27/2012 to 04/29/2012]. The deadline for submissions is: 31 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

74- Call for abstracts for the First Multidisciplinary and Multisectoral Seminar on Environment (PSNEMM): As the preparation of the first Euro-Maghreb conference on the environment in Algiers in 2012, the Oran Collective organizes a seminar on the first multidisciplinary and multisectoral environment (PSNEMM). This event intends to highlight the results of various experiments both academic and industrial and also related to associations. The deadline for submitting abstracts is September 15, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

75- Call for abstracts for the International Workshop on the use and development of water resources to be held in Biskra (Algeria) in the period [13/11/2011 - 15/11/2011]: The Centre for Scientific and Technical Research in the Dry Areas in collaboration with the Euro-Mediterranean network of centers specialized in major risks organize an international workshop on the use and development of water resources for sustainable development in arid ecosystems. 15th August 2011: Deadline for submission of abstracts. Further information on EMWIS website.

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TRAINING
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76- "H2020 regional workshop: Learning to measure carbon and water footprints": Measuring carbon and water footprints was the theme of the latest Horizon 2020 regional workshop held in Athens on 20 and 21 June 2011, gathering 37 participants representing government authorities and civil society from 11 Mediterranean countries. The two-day course showcased existing Mediterranean frameworks and strategies, and built the case for reducing carbon and water footprints, through measurements and indicators. Trainees benefited from an interactive experience through role playing and the actual calculation of carbon and water footprints. Further information on EMWIS website.

77- On the initiative of UNESCO’s Tehran Office and IHP Iran, the Regional G-WADI Training Workshop on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones was held in Tehran, Iran from 20 to 21 June 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

78- Training courses in connection with world water week in Stockholm, August 2011: The global water crisis is a crisis of poor governance and management of water. Vital for good water governance is a well-trained group of people working in various sectors related to water management. In response to this need Cap-Net/UNDP and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) plan to offer training events in connection with the World Water Week (WWW) in Stockholm in August 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

[2011/09/12 - 2011/09/16] UNESCO-IHE Regular Short Course: World History of Water Management, Delft, The Netherlands
Further information on EMWIS website.

[2011/09/12 - 2011/09/16] 3rd ESA advanced training on land remote sensing, Kraków, Poland.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[2011/08/22 - 2011/08/22] Training on Disinfection of water and wastewaters, London, UK.
Further information on EMWIS website.

[2011/08/19 - 2011/08/20] Cap-Net & SIWI Short Training Courses at the 2011 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden
Further information on EMWIS website.

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EVENTS (Full Agenda)
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PROJECTS (Projects database)
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WATER PROJECTS DATABASE (MEDA-NIPs, MEDA-Water, LIFE, SMAP, INCO-MED, FP4-FP7, INTERREG, etc.)

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