As part of the EU funded WES project workplan an on-line Regional Training on Waste Water Treatment for Reuse was organised on the 17th of May 2022 to build the capacity of the WES Partner Countries (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia) on proper treatment of wastewater focusing on small Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in rural zones with a view to safe effluent reuse.

The training which will be delivered via 4 sessions (4-hour each, 16 hours in total) on 17&19 May 2022, 7&9 June 2022, includes technological aspects for reuse (best available technologies), planning for wastewater treatment, operation and maintenance aspects, financial management options of WWTPs, in addition to identification of suitable sites to accommodate possibilities for reuse, assessment of impacts of treated wastewater reuse, and recommended mitigation measures, and incentives to improve attractiveness of reuse.

More than 60 stakeholders, such as representatives of the Ministries of Water, Irrigation Authorities, River Basin Authorities, Geological Survey Agencies, Water/Wastewater utilities, local authorities, along with experts on wastewater treatment plants, decision makers, academia and NGOs from all Partner Countries, participated in this first session, during which they were introduced to available technologies for effluent reuse, including low cost treatment for application under arid conditions, and practical skills relevant for the planning, selection, design, construction, operation and maintenance of small-scale, decentralized wastewater treatment (DWWT) plants (DWWTP).

By the end of the training, the participants would be also informed on the principles of wastewater management and treatment, the economic challenges in sanitation and the legal requirements to be able to conduct changes on wastewater management practices within their own organization, towards an effective water resources management, an improved rural sanitation and public health.