More water, healthier communities
Water is scarce in the Mediterranean region where the sun dominates, and helping communities to recycle wastewater properly has the potential to bring relief to millions. The EU-funded project 'Capacity building for direct water reuse in the Mediterranean area' (CB-WR-MED) is supporting the Water Researches and Technologies Centre (CERTE) in Tunisia to achieve this aim. It is positioning CERTE as a global centre of excellence, encouraging partnerships within the country, increasing collaboration with European initiatives and responding to socioeconomic needs for more water. The project is in effect upgrading the Centre to work with European institutions and become part of the European Research Area (ERA), with the ultimate aim of protecting and reusing water. This would involve new treatment and sanitation technologies and strategies, the success of which could be transmitted to other countries around the Mediterranean. To achieve these ambitious goals CB-WR-MED is building a national water database and developing indicators for water quality, in addition to advancing water use and wastewater use in agriculture. It is examining strategies for saving and reusing surface water and ground water, including sustainable desalination. Environmental impact is also being considered, including water footprints, the role of water in the green economy, and impacts of climate change on natural resources. Water experts and the project team are also reinforcing the Centre's capabilities and designing tools to improve water governance, in addition to building synergies with related projects and programmes. Already, the project has organised several workshops and training sessions on specific water-related topics and on joining EU initiatives. It has organised funding opportunities for water-related projects in Tunisia to raise participation of the country's researchers and of CERTE in EU-driven projects.
