Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) together with the Energy and Water Agency of Malta, organised the regional conference in the frame of the “Non Conventional Water Resources (NCWR) Programme in the Mediterranean”, which marks its 10th year of operation with the support of The Coca-Cola Foundation.
“Advancing our efforts and investments in NCWR is no longer a question, as we are contributing to a solution for islands, cities, our region and beyond” stated Mr. Miguel Garcia-Herraiz, Deputy Secretary General at the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat.
Case studies, best practices and socio-economic benefits of NCWR applications from islands in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, as well as from Australia were presented and opened the floor to constructive debate among multidisciplinary representatives. Knowledge sharing focused on identifying bottlenecks as well as opportunities, exchanged experiences and suggested best practices to create an enabling environment for wider use of NCWR while creating opportunities for employment in the water sector.
In addition to good governance and inter-sector coordination, the necessity to strengthen awareness-raising among the wider public to build a new water culture was highlighted as a priority. Furthermore, the direct and indirect socio-economic benefits of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the water sector and NCWR applications for youth were also addressed, presenting an immense potential for the region.
The Honorary Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Mr. Joe Mizzi, stated that “The development of NCWR is a key measure in Malta’s national water management plan, for ensuring the achievement of the environmental objectives of the European Union’s Water Framework Directive. The NCWR Programme has been a key initiative for the promotion of NCWR in the Mediterranean region. The impressive results achieved by the project are surely the best proof of its success”.
Since 2008, the Programme has applied 108 NCWR systems in 38 water scarce insular and coastal communities, reaching out to more than 630,000 beneficiaries. Testimonies of beneficiaries from Greece, Malta, Cyprus, and Italy confirmed the value of the programme and of Integrated Water Resources Management.
“We are very happy The Coca-Cola Foundation supports the NCWR Programme, providing tangible solutions to local communities towards local water security”, said Mr. Carlos Pagoaga, Director of Partnerships at The Coca-Cola Company, commenting on the 10-year partnership with GWP-Med and anniversary of the NCWR Programme, its impact and distinctions in the region, as well as its potential to be replicated elsewhere in the world.
The Conference was a complementary activity to LIFE Integrated Project on “Optimising the implementation of the 2nd RBMP in the Malta River Basin District”, which was launched on May 9th, 2018. On the second day, a joint field visit to the New Water Plant, the Water Awareness Conservation Centre and NCWR project sites in the Malta College Art, Science and Technology and KMS swimming pool allowed an insight to modern water infrastructure, local NCWR applications as well as awareness efforts towards a new water culture.