Dissemination of best practice to beneficiaries and definition of promotional policies

(Responsible: Lazio Region)

Communication and Dissemination activities will comply with the Programme’s publicity rules, with the “Communication and Visibility Manual for EU External Actions” and in closely synergy with the Commission and other main projects and programmes on the tackled issue. The objective is to ensure optimal visibility, transparency, mobilization of public and private bodies, getting better information and sensitization of citizens for maximizing the impact of the communication efforts. Each of the following envisaged activities will take in account the conclusion of the analysis of different situation existing in each country (see WP2) and on the technologies and solution applicable (see WP3). Furthermore, accurate strategies will be settled-up, building a set of activities and tools focused on the best method to attract the target audience (preliminary identified by means of WP2) as well as related to the local context (local languages will be used as far as possible).

6.1 Development and management of a website about the project

Malta Resource Authority will elaborate an interactive website, since the starting of the project (month 3, as soon as the project logo will be defined), that aims to become a permanent instrument to disseminate not only the project results but more widely SWM solutions and best practices. A SWM available techniques database will be elaborated by IRIDRA with support of CERTE and PHG, and will be constantly updated during the project. Furthermore the website will integrate the project activities into international debate on SWM related issue, linking it at least with the main existing networks (i.e., Sustainable Sanitation Alliance – SuSanA) and the co-operation websites (i.e., local Commission Delegation and the EuropAid Co-operation Office), in order to give continuity to the project objectives, to make accessible and share results with other projects/programme and interested key-actors.

In the website two areas will be available: one public (i.e., accessible to everyone – visit counter and register system will allow a regular updating of the mailing list) and one protected (i.e., accessible only to the project partners through a password). Moreover, the project website will be the mean through which the partnership will share meetings and events agenda, general information, reports and contacts. The website will be built-up in two languages (English and Arabic): the Arabic version will include only information useful for the general public, while the “partner only” pages will be present only on the English one. The informative pages of both websites will be kept permanently beyond the project lifespan by Malta Resource Authorities (the English version) and CERTE (Arabic version).

6.2 Participation to conferences and paper publishing

The projects results and approach will be presented at the leading international conferences, seminars, fairs and exhibitions on Sustainable Sanitation, Water management, Sustainable Urban Development and published in scientific international magazines (at least two), for generating interest around needs, socio-economic background, envisaged solutions, developed activities and tools, achieved results by project in the involved Mediterranean Countries. The presentation of the project to a minimum of 3 international conferences is envisaged, both in a EUMC and in a MPC.

In particular the partners as Lazio Region, MRA, Ministry of Gozo,(and associated partner as ONAS or Ragusa Province) will promoting the discussion on the tackled issue during events where normally are called to take part for its institutional and political role, as well as the technical partners into their field of competences (i.e., technical workshops, seminars, advisory bodies). Each participation and the specific content will be planned with all partnership (and EU Commission if necessary) and reports will be furnished periodically (supported by audio-video products if available).

6.3 National scale information campaign

National campaigns will be planned with the will of raise the visibility of the project, promoting discusses around the envisaged and/or developed actions, putting in evidence the role of EU programmes for encouraging the co-operation as tool for a common and sustainable development, preserving environment and natural resources. These national campaigns, which will be developed in synergy themselves and in accordance with the Press and Information Officer at the EC Delegation accredited to the specific Country, will consider the socio-economic background (social and religious norms will take in account where necessary) and include:

• 4 National workshop (1 in Italy, 1 in Malta, 1 in Tunisia, 1 in Palestine) , held in an eligible area, possibly contemporary to a SC, for involving all partnership and associated partners if relevant
• 20 Local workshops (8 in Palestine (West Bank, Gaza), 8 in Tunisia, 2 in Gozo 2 in Italy (Sicily) targeted to citizens, building industry professionals and local authorities
• Press releases (where appropriate Press conference), leaflets and brochures to support the national event aim (available also in electronic form and posted on the website)
• Low cost explicative panels (with pictures to follow the whole course of the project, when relevant)
• Specific material for MEDIA (i.e., professional pictures, short messages with key phrases) To increase the effectiveness of these Campaigns, local languages will be used as far as possible and workshops will be planned to be addressed to the specific target group, case-by-case involved (see WP2). Moreover influential figures and opinion formers will be called to take part to the events both as audience and promoter/speakers for keeping up the importance of a wiser use of water, sharing experiences and good practices and stimulating replications.

In Gozo, a specific campaign will be done, to assess the effects of the use of water saving kits by local households. Around 20.000 kits (of different kind) will be purchased by the project and distributed in the island of Gozo to be tested in the identified areas, the identified areas being small villages the consumption of whom can be metered effectively through existing master meters. Such activity will be done during the first step of the project, so that results of the test could be used to select the kits to be purchased for the SWM houses (Task 6.4)

6.4 Creation in MED countries of a SWM house

Capitalizing and replying the good experiences of Zer0-m, a Technological Demonstration Centre (TDC) will be realized in Palestine. It will be a SWM house, where it will be possible to see examples of different SWM techniques and solutions, in order to display how possible rationalizing water use both at private and community is level. In the SWM house there will be an exposition of technical devices and it will be showed their functioning by real applications and reduced scale models:

The SWM examples installed in Palestine in form of TDC will cover a range of measures as wide as possible, spanning from water saving equipment to wastewater recycling, even making use of low foot print advanced technologies like Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), Membrane Biological Reactors (MBR), Mobile Bed Biological Reactor (MBBR), reaching the more sustainable concepts of nutrients reuse throughout Ecosan techniques like faecal matter composting by dry/composting toilets and urine segregation. By making various configurations of treatment units and other equipment it is intended to design and implement comprehensive sets. The necessary equipment and the technologies will be assessed throughout the design and monitoring phase which will go parallel to the WP4 considerations and a survey of the socio-economic impact of the proposed solutions into Palestine. However, as treatment systems, demonstrative scale realizations of (at least) constructed wetlands and waste stabilization ponds are envisaged. Small Demonstrative Grey-water and Black-water treatment system (ranging from low to high footprint), envisaged to be built in Palestine SWM House are the following:

• SBR
• MBR
• MBBR
• UASB
• Constructed Wetlands
• Roughing Filters
• Sand/gravel rapid infiltration filters for Rainwater harvesting

The Palestinian SWM house will be equipped also with Eco-sanitation tools, as follows:

• Dry and composting toilets
• Urine segregation (waterless urinals and water-free urinals) and collection tank
• Composters
• Water saving tools (taps, showers, flux reductors, double-button flush, etc)

In Tunisia, a TDC has been already built with MEDA program funds (zer0-m project), and presently it includes water segregation (grey and black water) and their treatment using biological reactors(MBR or SBR) or small constructed wetland for water reuse. During this project it will be enlarged and further exploited with new related activities as “demonstration events” furnishing the place (inside and outside) with specific equipment necessary for a properly strategy addressed to technicians, students, citizens and press visits. Moreover, the TDC will be used as laboratory for monitoring the water quality (raw and treated) coming from the TDC itself (urban wastewater) and from the rural settlement of Chorfech (Governorate of Ariana, 20 km, north of Tunis), served by a constructed wetland, also built through the Zer0-M project. This monitoring will provide the necessary data for SWM promoting policy which could be linked to the type of technologies and related expected qualities and so the target reuse. The economical aspect linked to the SWM policy will also be considered.

The Tunisian SWM house will be integrated with the following demonstrative items

• Dry and composting toilets
• Urine segregation (waterless urinals and water-free urinals) and collection tank
• Composters
• Water saving tools (taps, showers, flux reductors, double-button flush, etc.)

This sustainable system will be explained and promoted (also by means of demonstrative activities into the settled laboratory) through the TDC, with the others possible techniques of reuse:

• Reuse of treated wastewater for minor domestic purposes as flushing, gardening but also crop irrigation or landscaping.
• reuse of nutrients in agriculture and gardening
• rainwater harvesting and reuse options

Both structures, in Tunisia and Palestine, will be provided with laboratories and “training” rooms for supporting the achievement of all SWM houses related objective. The laboratories will support the work of involved partners and stakeholders, improving the quality of the achieved results (comparable to standard indicators). They will be provided with Chemical and Microbiological Analyses equipment, for water treatment assessment and validation, as well as online TDC sampling and monitoring (TOC, COD, N and P forms, SS, pH, O2), Automatic Sampler, Auto Analyser and Data Storage. Furthermore, the laboratory will be used for the practical “training” workshops held by partners to increase and reach the necessary capacities of expertise and interested stakeholders of the water sector. For these activities suitable rooms will be equipped for meeting and video projection, TDC monitoring and exhibition hall (with pictures and posters).

These permanent structures will be clearly showed the EU involvement by means of a Commemorative plaque in English and local languages, placed in the most visible part of the buildings and an opening ceremony will be organized to evidence the project objectives and TDC related activities.

To concretely promote SWM approach and interest of visitors towards the SWM houses in Palestine and Tunisia, the project, after technical analysis of performances based on the results of the tests operated in Gozo (see task 6.3), will purchase 10000 water saving kits (5000 Palestine and 5000 Tunisia) to be freely distributed to citizens and visitors of SWM houses. The kit will be composed by 2 low consumption taps and one flow reducer for the shower and one information leaflet in the local language.

6.5 Final international conference

A specific conference dissemination programme will be defined together among project partners. A final conference, aiming at sharing and cluster the project results with any other similar ongoing project, will be held in Tunis, and CERTE, that already organized a very successful conference on SWM in March 2007, on behalf of the Zer0-M MEDA project, will take care of the organization.

The title of the conference will be Sustainable Water Management in Mediterranean settlements and will be an international scientific and political event targeted to all Mediterranean and Middle East countries.

The conference concept will be to present the project results (and, more generally, new SWM solutions) starting from the ancient water saving culture of the Mediterranean area. The possibility to promote the conference together with international bodies, such as UNESCO will be explored.

Representatives of “water tables” stakeholders of participating countries will be involved in this conference to present their point of view of the project activities and results and on policy papers developed. The international conference can be considered as “international water table” for discussion of specificities, correction and comparison with other implemented SWM cases and policies.