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Mediterranean

Non Conventional Water Resources Programme in Cyprus

“Mission Water”, the Non Conventional Water Resources Programme in Cyprus, was initiated in 2013 by the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med), in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation and Lanitis Bros (Coca-Cola bottler in Cyprus). The Programme’s activities are implemented in collaboration with the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus and the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE). The Programme is funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation through a two-year grant (2013-2015) of 400,000 US dollars.

Aim and Objectives

The NCWR Programme in Cyprus aims to mobilise NCWR, as a sustainable solution to address water scarcity issues in Cyprus. Cyprus is a water stressed country, with limited fresh water resources and, therefore, in vital need of leveraging the potential of NCWRs.

The NCWR Programme’s objectives are:

- To promote NCWRs and, especially, greywater reuse as a cost-effective method for water availability and climate change adaptation in Cyprus

- To educate teachers and equip them with tailor made education material on NCWR, which they will use with their students, in order to raise  awareness among the youth on sustainable water use

- To train local technicians on the application of modern NCWR systems and materials, and build their capacity to install and/or repair such systems on the island, sharing their expertise at local level

- To promote knowledge and sharing of experiences on aspects of greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting systems and approaches.

- To promote multi-stakeholder partnerships for local NCWR initiatives.

- To promote dialogue among Mediterranean countries on how to advance the use of NCWR Management

Activities  

The NCWR Programme in Cyprus, through its holistic approach, will focus on three main pillars of action:

(i)           NCWR applications: installation of a number of new and reinstatement of existing NCWR systems (mainly greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting systems) in selected public buildings, with special focus in schools, centres of environmental education and sports centres.

(ii)         Educational and Training activities:

  1. Development of Educational Material on Non Conventional Water Resources in Cyprus by the MIO-ECSDE/MEdIES Secretariat and the Cyprus Pedagogic Institute, aiming to provide contemporary background material for the educational activities of the Programme in Cyprus.
  2. Training of local teachers and educators on how to apply the Educational Material, through teacher training sessions and workshops.
  3. Enhancing the technical skills of local workers and local authorities’ technical services, on traditional know-how, as well as on modern technologies for NCWR schemes and water related innovations, through seminars.

(iii)        Awareness Raising activities: 

Sensitise the general public on the sustainable water use and the NCWR solutions that can be easily and cost effectively applied at domestic and community level, through targeted communication activities and events

The NCWR Programme in figures

  • Installation of 4 Greywater Reuse systems ( by Sept. 2014)
  • Installation of 1 rainwater harvesting system (by Sept. 2014)
  • Reinstatement of 2 Greywater Reuse systems (by Sept. 2014)
  • 174 teachers educated in two seminars, in Limassol and Nicosia
Page last edited: 9/10/2014