The regional organisation Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med | www.gwpmed.org) and the Energy and Water Agency (EWA | www.energywateragency.gov.mt) of Malta are organizing the Capacity Building Workshop ‘Non-Conventional Water Resources Management: Local Solutions’, that will take place on 13 and 14 November 2019 and will be hosted by the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST | www.mcast.edu.mt).
The workshop is addressed to youth in Malta and particularly to tertiary education students and young professionals of technical backgrounds, such as engineering, architecture, natural resources management, water technologies and others, that are interested in NCWR and Integrated Urban Water Resources Management (IUWM) and it will take place in the frame of the “Non Conventional Water Resources (NCWR) Program in Malta.
Workshop aims and content
Through the workshop participants will:
- Increase their knowledge and improve their skills on NCWR and IUWM solutions and technologies
- Deepen their understanding on technically sound and socially acceptable small and medium scale NCWR applications that can contribute to water security in insular and coastal communities
- Gain valuable insights through international case studies and the experience of the technical portfolio of the NCWR Programme in Malta.
The workshop will include:
- Presentations by accomplished professionals in the water sector
- Participatory interactive sessions
- Guidance and mentoring on project ideas and on practical tips on designing and executing NCWR applications
- Site visits.
Please read the full announcement available below and register here: bit.ly/2nwkZjU. The workshop can only host a limited number of participants, therefore early registration is highly advised.
Useful documents
- Final agenda
- Full announcement, including draft agenda & registration
- Draft agenda (separate document)
- Pre-announcement
For more information please contact Ms Nassia Kassela, GWP-Med at nassia@gwpmed.org.
Background
The “Non Conventional Water Resources (NCWR) Program in Malta [aka Alter Aqua]” (www.gwpmed.org/NCWR), implemented in the Maltese Islands since 2011, is currently in its 3rd phase (2019-2020). The Programme is designed by the regional organisation Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med | www.gwpmed.org), one of the thirteen regions of the inter-governmental organisation Global Water Partnership (GWP | www.gwp.org), in partnership with the Energy and Water Agency (EWA | www.energywateragency.gov.mt) and the Coca-Cola in Malta (General Soft Drinks S.A. and the Coca-Cola Company), supported primarily by The Coca-Cola Foundation and co-funded by EWA.
Alter Aqua commenced in the Maltese Islands in 2011, first focusing on the island of Gozo, in partnership with the Ministry for Gozo and the Eco Gozo project, and since 2014, focusing in Malta, in partnership with the Ministry for Energy and Water Management and the Energy and Water Agency, aiming to promote the use of non conventional water resources as a sustainable practice for local water security and climate change adaptation. Since 2011, the Programme has applied 17 NCWR systems, yielding 18 million liters of water annually, including the installation or reinstatement of rainwater harvesting systems and greywater recycling systems, alongside educational and awareness raising activities and capacity building workshops for professionals. The Programme has reached out to about 17,650 students, 1,380 teachers, 55 technicians, benefiting a total of 71,800 people. It has contributed to water availability at local and national level in a sustainable and cost-effective way and has promoted a new water culture for sustainable water use.
As water security is among the top priorities in the Maltese Islands, applying integrated and innovative approaches in water management, mobilising non conventional water resources and engaging stakeholders are pivotal in improving water efficiency and management and contributing to climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
Leveraging the legacy of the previous phases, Alter Aqua - Phase III seeks to mainstream NCWR applications and water saving in Malta, including through youth engagement and capacity building. In this regard the Programme collaborates with tertiary education institutes to place youth at the forefront and promote their employability in green/blue jobs.