capacity building for better water management · capacity building for better water management...

N° 14 - December 2006 English version

Capacity building for better water management

CoopERATIOn

MAnAGEMEnT

InformATIOn

TRAInInG

Internat ionalO f f i c efor Water

At the National Training Center for Wa-ter Professions (CNFME), the Interna-tional Office for Water takes care of thestakeholders’ continuing professionaltraining on water, and more recently onwastes.Its training quality is unanimously recognizedin France and abroad: Belgium, Kenya, Mexico,Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland,…and by all the water stakeholders: Elected offi-cials, managers of services, engineers andtechnicians, agents of the State services, theWater Agencies, the industrialists, etc.

5,700Trainees/year

2

A comprehensive offer…What are the reasons of this success? First of all the quality of the permanenttrainers, each one of them specialist in hisfield, but also a network of experts chosenfor their skill, not only technical, but also edu-cational. All the great topics of the water andwastes field are dealt with: the city and itssewerage, wastewater treatment, drinkingwater supply, the aquatic environments, themanagement of skills and services, water inagriculture and industry, regulations, etc. The "CNFME" proposes modules allowing togain all the knowledge and skills necessary forserenely fulfilling your duty, either being anoperator exploiting a system, a river technician,the manager or department head of water syn-dicates or subcontractor companies, or even theengineer of a consulting firm or the person incharge of the environment in industry. The "CNFME" would not be entirely “profes-sional” without the capacity to advise a com-munity or a private company in the choice oftraining programs best suited to each indivi-dual or each service.

A continuous evaluationISO 9000 certified, version 2000, the"CNFME" systematically tries to measurethe quality of its services providing.For each company, training activities are a real investment of which it is quite legitimateto evaluate the returns. For such a purpose, in2006, the "CNFME" developed a power-ful tool for measuring training returns.A system with “electronic vote” was adaptedthen developed to reliably measure trainingfeedback, on the one hand, and, on the other,to make a statistical processing of results.Questionnaires are handed to the trainees atthe beginning and at the end of the trainingprogram and the results may be presented,with strict confidentiality rules, for each indi-vidual, for one or several courses.Extension of the "CNFME"Owing to its continuous growth duringthe last five years, the "CNFME"" is prepa-ring the future by doubling the surfacearea of its technical hall on the Limogessite, in order to increase practical work.4

A few figures to summarize:

l 5,700 trainees en 2006,l 284 training programs offered

in the catalogues,l 428 training courses,l 9 training sites being selected

for their field teaching contribution,l Our educational units allow the

trainee to study under working condi-tions, by recreating conditions close tothe reality of the field, and also allowthe presentation of equipment andadvanced technologies in the waterand sanitation sector.These units are unique in Europe,due to their number, allowing the cove-rage of the entire water cycle, or totheir capacities, identical to real plants.

Information: Fax: +33 (0) 5 55 11 47 01 - E-mail: [email protected]

New: Web-based trainingThe "CNFME" now proposes remotetraining via the Internet. It is a very interactive formula, where each par-ticipant, in his/her office and in front of his/hercomputer, listens to the trainer, sees on his/herscreen the supporting documents, asks ques-tions and replies to the lecturer’s questions.

In 2007, the "CNFME" catalogue proposesthree training programs : the economicconcepts of the European Water Frame-work Directive, wastewater treatmenttechniques using filters planted withreeds and storm water management.4

Web-based training station

The French Nat ional Training Center for Water Professions

The CNFME hydraulic installations in LimogesThe CNFME also offers

training for elected officials.

"Water" and "Wastes" At the top of ProfessionalTraining

www.iowater.org/cnfme

All the courses can be carried out in English and Spanish.

The News N° 14 - December 2006

CNFME - CNFME - CNFME - CNFME

3The News N° 14

WATERDOC gathers scientific, technical, eco-nomic and legal information on water: thisvirtual library has more than 255,000documents in the various European lan-guages including 153,000 in English.There are study reports and articles from 62 scientific and technical international perio-dicals, methodological guides in full text, con-ference proceedings, legal texts and casestudies and syntheses, and, in particular, richinformation on the implementation of theEuropean Water Framework Directive inFrance and Europe.WATERDOC is daily updated at IOWater.Every year, the service proposes about 5,000new references of documents selected by ourstudy engineers, then analyzed by a network

of experts, which guarantees the relevance oflater search. WATERDOC is also:l reports selected on the Web, l a personalized watch on the subject-

matter of your choice,l syntheses carried out with the support of

the French Water Agencies, "ENGREF" andthe Institute of Engineering Sciences ofMonptellier.

WATERDOC will evolve in 2007WATERDOC is adapting to the new Internetcontext of access to water-related informationand to the challenges of the Water FrameworkDirective implementation, but it must alsostrengthen its original place among the manysearch engines existing today.A new platform and new interfaces willbe proposed in 2007 to our partners:search engine, providing of watch and moni-toring of water related Websites thanks to theparameterizing of intelligent agents.

There will be also a broad collection of whatoccurs in the European basins and districts inrelation with the Framework Directive im-plementation (characterization, economicanalyses, participative management, etc).A better record of the projects resulting fromthe 5th and 6th RDFPs is also a priority.A network for access to the French pub-lic studies is being set up. 4

http://waterdoc.iowater.org

255,000Referencesin the different

European languages

: Our world-wide documentation and information service on water

French Water Information SystemData standardizationThe Water Information System (WIS) gathersmany partners, coordinated by the Water Di-rectorate, for improving data on water and theenvironments in France and to make themmore accessible.An agreement protocol, signed in June 2003,defines the obligations of the partners withrespect to the production, conservation andavailability of water data. The adhering partners are the Ministry of Eco-logy and Sustainable Development, the 6 Water Agencies, the Higher Council ofFisheries, Electricity of France, "BRGM","Ifremer", the French Environment Institute,"INERIS", the Water Offices of the Reunion andthe Martinique and the International Officefor Water (IOWater).There are many public administrations or dele-gatees of public utilities which produce waterdata in France.

The purpose of the National DataReference Center for Water (SANDRE) isto define and standardize the waterdata, related to many topics, in order to makecompatible and homogeneous the definitionand exchange of data between all the peopleinvolved."SANDRE", which is attached to IOWater,develops and disseminates on its websitedata dictionaries, reference frames, anddata exchange formats and scenarios.The development of interoperable informationsystems on the Internet - data-processing ap-plications discussing among themselves -now requires the standardization of the “Webservices” which allow these dialogues. To meet the water stakeholders’ demand, the"SANDRE" organizers propose a technicalsupport to those which develop or upgradetheir data-processing applications, for inte-grating one or more "SANDRE" components. 4

The WIS in mapsThe cartographic server of the "SANDRE" wasentirely rethought, in order to allow the usersto browse in all the data layers, and superim-pose all the monitoring stations, regulationsand zoning on the same map. It now gives access to the entire Frenchnational territory, including the Martinique,Guadeloupe, Reunion and Guyana.Maps summarize the characteristics of each col-lection network, especially those related to theWater Framework Directive, and give com-plete references on their operator. 4www.sandre.fr


Information - Documentation - water Data

4 The News N° 14 - December 2006

The Seine-Normandy Water Agency entrustedIOWater with the economic analysis of theProgram of Measures for the Upper Seinesub-basins.

This analysis, required by the WFD, allowssupport to decision-making throughout theplanning process, by assessing the economicsignificance of water and associated stakes,by evaluating the level of cost recovery whileoptimizing the selection of combination ofmeasures according to cost-effectivenesscriteria. The study led to the technical and financialsizing of the measures usually planned in thebaseline scenario, but also of additional mea-sures, which, in the Upper Seine River Basin,are divided into 3 great priorities: agriculture(nitrates, phytosanitary products), river mor-phology (restoration, protection, specificdevelopment), and specific discharges ofcities and industries.

A systematic approach to the costs of themeasures implementation and their inducedcosts was carried out. A representation of the costs by type of acti-vity (crops, animal husbandry, industries,environments, etc.) was considered for eachgeographical area, by identifying the zoneswhere the costs would be regarded as dispro-portionate, with objectives to be revised ordeferred consequently. A presentation to the geographical Commis-sion of the Upper Seine Basin will follow thecost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis. 4

Programs of Measures for the French basinsEconomic analysis of the Upper Seine River Basin

Situation report on the Environment in France

Article 14 of the Water Framework Directiverequires that the general public be consultedon the main stakes and priorities for bettermanaging water and the aquatic environ-ments. The Martinique Basin Committee organized,from November 2005 to May 2006, a publicenquiry on the important issues regarding theisland catchment area.IOWater provided assistance with the draf-ting of the enquiry questionnaire and with theimplementation and facilitation of the partici-pative public meetings on the entire territoryof the Martinique. IOWater analyzed theconsultation and trained the local organizersto the facilitation of meetings. The enquiryconcerned about 2,000 people. Nine signifi-cant questions were included in the enquiry.

Three of them are definitely at the top of theMartinique inhabitants’ concerns: publichealth, water quality, and technical and finan-cial means for better water management. IOWater proposed recommendations forimproving next consultation: increasingthe information/communication on the en-quiry, improving the formulation of the ques-tionnaire, relying on local relays (mayors,"blue ambassadors", organizations for envi-ronmental education, etc.) for better reachingthe population, having the questionnairesdisseminated in the neighborhood (mailboxes, local newspaper, etc.).There is a strong demand from the popu-lation!4

Public Consultation in the Martinique Basin

The French Environment Institute (IFEN) pub-lishes a Situation Report on the Environmentin France every four years. For preparing thesection devoted to inland waters, it entrustedIOWater with the production of tables,graphs and documented maps and the wri-ting of summary notes.

Work included surfacewater and groundwa-ter quality. A compo-nent on the identifica-tion of water bodies, required by the WaterFramework Directive, was also drafted, usingmaps and summary tables. 4

The WFDboosts the "Economy"Site

IOWater has developed and managed, ac-cording to a Convention with the Ministry ofEcology and Sustainable Development, a newwebsite of the Water Information System, pre-senting economic data on water uses for theimplementation of the Water FrameworkDirective (WFD). It presents the sources of data and structureddocumentation, according to four broadtopics: water-related activities, water pricing,the financing of services, environmental costsand benefits. 4

For more information:www.economie.eaufrance.fr

The Seine river in Paris

France

water framework Directive

5

Renewableenergy potentials :Hydropower

A study was financed by the Limousin "DRIRE"to find consistent responses to the objectivesof the French "POPE" Law (Orientation Pro-gram for Energy Policy) of July 2005 and tothe European Water Framework Directive(WFD). Thus, the International Office for Waterdeveloped two decision-making sup-porting tools: n firstly, about twenty indicators of the

available regional hydropower po-tential,

n secondely, a more technical evaluationgrid for the selection of the best hy-dropower projects at their planningstage.

4

The News N° 14

The decision to transfer the responsibility of amunicipal water or sanitation utility to anUrban Community always implies some uncer-tainty in the elected officials’ mind. The problems related to this transfer are com-plex and concern all the aspects of the service.They are of a technical, administrative, legaland financial nature. This is the reason why,the Urban Community of Limoges Metropolis,gathering 17 municipalities and about200,000 inhabitants, called upon the Interna-tional Office for Water to assist with thedefinition of its future community wastewatertreatment utility and the identification of thedifficulties to be deal with before its setting-up.

The IOWater study was carried out in 3 steps:n Firstly, an inventory of the existing

sanitation systems, giving the status ofthe equipment and its level of adaptationto the regulations. At the same time, theorganization and the resources of thetechnical and administrative departmentswere examined and a retrospective finan-cial analysis was carried out in each de-partment, in order to determine theirstrengths and weaknesses within thefuture Community service;

n It was followed by a technical and fi-nancial evaluation of the installa-tions to be created over the next fif-teen years. It must take into account the

needs for renewal of the installations, theplanned extensions in zoning, the evolu-tion of the regulations (WFD) and the localconstraints regarding the protection of theaquatic environments;

n And finally, a prospective financialanalysis allowed the simulation of asole sanitation tax for 2013.

Started in January 2006, the first two phasesof the study were completed in May. The finaladjustments and financial simulations (pricingand investment plan) presented in Octoberwill enable the elected officials to make thechoices necessary for the transfer of compe-tences.4


An experts’ mis-sion was entrus-ted to IOWaterby the Authorityfor the Mana-gement of theINTERREG III B“Atlantic Spaces

Program" and supported by the Poitou-Cha-rentes Regional Council. It aimed at analyzingthe results of the 2000-2006 program, ascompared to the announced framework, and atshowing how the implemented projects metthese orientations as regards the topics relatedto water management (monitoring, risk mana-gement, alternative techniques, resource mana-gement and supplies, etc.).

Eleven projects related to water mana-gement were reviewed according to anevaluation grid conceived by IOWaterand allowing the measurement of theireffects on the environment, spaces andthe regional economy. The preparation of the future program, usingan enquiry carried out in the Atlantic coastalregions and also using an analysis of themain stakes which arise (problems regardingoyster culture, droughts, floods, good coastalgovernance, etc.) then constitute the secondcomponent of our analysis.It is supplemented by proposals on the methodsto be used for selecting and following up thenew projects presented within the INTERREGIIIB program 2007-2013 in the Atlantic space. 4

INTERREG III BA strategic analysis of the European Atlantic coast

Urban Community of Limoges MetropolisAn IOWater audit of the sanitation utility

France

STUDIES - EXPERTS' ASSIGNMENTs


INBO RecommendationsIn many countries, the seriousness of thesituation requires the implementation of acomprehensive, integrated and consistentmanagement of water resources, aquaticecosystems and territories.The International Network of BasinOrganizations (INBO), whose secretariat istaken care of by IOWater, aims at improvingthe management of water resources andaquatic environments over the world. It regroups 158 member organizations orpermanent observers in 52 countries.INBO has reminded its members and ob-servers to come to Mexico City to presenttheir field experiences, to exchange anddiscuss in order to develop and improvebasin management over the world.

What progress has been made since the1990s!Management at the level of basins ofrivers, lakes or aquifers experienced aquick development in many countries,which made it the basis of their national legislation on water or experimented it inpilot basins.The European Water Framework Direc-tive sets an objective of good ecological sta-tus in the national or international river basindistricts of the 27 current Member States andthe Countries applying for accession to theEuropean Union.Lastly, the management of the transboundarybasins of the 263 rivers and hundreds ofaquifers is taken more and more intoaccount within Commissions, "Authorities" orinternational Organizations.

This gained experience allows todayto affirm that: “management at the basinlevel works!” … when there is acontinued political will to establish itand make it work!

Based on this observation: INBO recommends that water resourcesmanagement be organized:l on the relevant scale of the local,

national or transboundary basins ofrivers, lakes and aquifers;

l with the participation in decision-making of the concerned GovernmentalAdministrations and local Authorities, therepresentatives of different categories ofusers and associations for environmentalprotection or of public interest;

l based on Management Plans or mas-ter plans that define the medium andlong-term objectives;

l through the development of Programsof Measures and successive multiyearpriority investments;

l with the mobilization of specificfinancial resources, based on the"polluter-pays" principle and "user-pays"systems.

INBO recommends the establishment ofappropriate legal frameworks that takeinto account these five global princi-ples."Users’ participation should beorganized within official bo-dies for dialogue and a realmobilization of partners".INBO recommends that this participa-tion be organized in Basin Committeesor Councils.

4th World Water ForumMEXICO 2006

4 INBO Official SessionsFor Integrated Water Resources Management at the Basin Level

In Mexico City, France has shown thatit is a “great water power”:l thanks to a strong delegation

gathered within the French Partner-ship for Mexico (PFM), at the initia-tive of the Ministries of Ecology andForeign Affairs,

l thanks to its strong implication inthe organization of official sessionsand side events,

l thanks to the attractiveness of the“French space” in the exhibition,

l thanks to the successes of French-Mexican cooperation, such as theMexican Training Center forWater and Sanitation (Cemcas)and the national Water Infor-mation System (Sina), whichwere well enhanced,

l thanks to the active presence of ourminister, Mrs. Nelly Olin.

It is now necessary to act quickly in thefield and to concretize the conceptualadvances by tangible and significantactions.Time is short!

INBO organized four Official Sessionsin the IWRM day on 18 March 2006 inMexico City: l African river basin management,l The European Water Framework

Directive,l Public participation in basin mana-

gement,l The transboundary basins.These sessions received morethan 1,200 participants in theentire day.

French PFM space

Mrs. Nelly Olin

international events

7The News N° 14

These Basin Committees shouldbe involved in the decision-ma-king related to water policy in thebasin, using procedures thatclearly define their role.In particular, they should be asso-ciated to the formulation of long-term objectives and to the prepa-ration of Management Plans, tothe selection of development and equipmentpriorities and to the implementation of Pro-grams of Measures and multiyear priorityinvestment programs, as well as to the set-ting of financing principles and to the calcula-tion of water taxes that concern them."Information on water resour-ces and the environmentsshould be improved".Their role should be facilitated by the setting-up of integrated water information sys-tems. This information should include objec-tive elements enabling dialogue and negotia-tion.Finally, significant means should be devotedto raise awareness among the public,and especially women and youth, and enabletheir participation, and to the training of theirrepresentatives regarding decision-making."Funding by the users is thebasis of their participation".The investments necessary for the sustainablemanagement, conservation and control ofwater resources and ecosystems, and for theexploitation, maintenance and rehabilitationof public utilities require huge financialresources.All analyses converge to show that traditionalcentralized public budgets (subsidies) havereached their limit to meet alone the financialneeds of the water sector.

Therefore, it is necessary to set upeverywhere complementary fun-ding systems that are based onthe participation and commoncause of the users.INBO recommends the establish-ment of basin water taxes, whichhave shown their efficiency every-where they have been applied.

Such water taxes enable the mobilization ofsignificant funds to finance the sector, whileensuring common cause between the up-stream and downstream parts of basins andbetween the categories of users with an inter-active effect on consumption reduction andpollution control.INBO recommends that the use of watertaxes be gradual in order to adapt thesemodern systems to the proper situationof each country and to the solvency oflocal populations.It is advisable that these water taxes bedefined by consensus in Basin Committeesand be managed at this level by a specializedorganization with the approval of the publicauthorities."Water has no boundary".There are 263 transboundary rivers over theworld, the basins of which cover an area ofabout 50% of the emerged lands.Water has no national or administrativeboundary. Managing resources, sharedbetween several neighboring Countries,should take into account all the transboun-dary basins concerned.

INBO recommends that, for transboun-dary rivers, lakes or aquifers, coopera-tion agreements be concluded or signedby the riparian Countries and thatManagement Plans be designed at thelevel of all their basins, in particularwithin international Commissions,basin Authorities or suitable interna-tional or transboundary Organizations.INBO recommends that these interna-tional agreements for transboundaryriver management plan for the partici-pation of local Authorities and users ofwater and the environments, whilerespecting national sovereignty.The creation of international commis-sions, that would frequently and regularlymeet and would associate, at the level of theentire basin, all the administrations con-cerned, local authorities and users of theriparian countries, should enable betterdialogue, the exchange of useful infor-mation, the solving of possible conflictsand the sharing of benefits from betterjoint management and the strengthe-ning of transboundary cooperation.INBO also recommends that the con-cerned multilateral institutions and na-tional Authorities take into account thespecificity of water and environmentalmanagement in insular environments.Cooperation between the islands inrelation to this matter should bestrengthened, using the above-men-tioned general principles.INBO recommends that Official bi- andmultilateral Development Aid be espe-cially mobilized to support such projectsfor creating local, national or trans-boundary basin organizations, in accor-dance with the above principles.It is advisable that International DevelopmentAid reserves sufficient resources for creatingconditions suitable for dialogue between thepeople in charge in the countries concernedby the same transboundary basin and forfinancing studies preliminary to the formula-tion of essential international agreements andto the establishment of institutional and tech-nical tools for their application. 4

www.inbo-news.orgInformation: Fax: +33 (0) 4 93 65 44 02 - E-mail: [email protected]

More than 1,200 participants INBO, an active participant in the World Water Forum!

NEXT WORLD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

OF INBODebrecen - Hungary - 06-09 june 2007

Get registered!



4th World Water ForumMEXICO 2006

Recommendations"" IImmpprroovviinngg kknnoowwlleeddggee ooff wwaatteerrrr ee ss oo uu rr cc ee ss ,, ee nn vv ii rr oo nn mm ee nn tt ss aa nn ddtthheeii rr uusseess iiss nneecceessssaarryy ffoorr ddeeccii--ssiioonn--mmaakkiinngg aanndd ffoorr ssuussttaaiinnaabblleemmaannaaggeemmeenntt""In order to achieve overall management ofwater resources, at basin level in particular, itis of prime importance for decision-makers(Directors of Basin Organizations and Admi-nistrations, Basin Committee members, repre-sentatives of Local Authorities, users andassociations) to have access to comprehen-sive, representative and reliable information,at all relevant levels, on: n The status of surface and ground

water resources, n The situation concerning biotopes

and the aquatic environments andtheir degrees of sensitivity,

n Water uses (withdrawals) and particu-larly, irrigation and drinking water supplyfor populations and pollution sources(discharges) whether point or non-point,

n The risk of recurring extreme phe-nomena such as floods or droughts andaccidental pollution,

n Economic indicators, costs, price,taxes, etc.

It was established that this information isoften dispersed, heterogeneous andincomplete ... and that it is rarely compara-ble and adapted to the prerequisites forobjective decision-making. Moreover, it is afact that public, para-public and even privateorganizations may have this information butlack sufficient means for exchanging, gathe-ring, standardizing, summarizing and forcapitalizing it among them.Water issues are global and concern, inmost cases, a simultaneous combina-tion of various levels of action: local,basin, regional, national, international, etc.

As a response, the organizationof shared Water InformationSystems (IS) allows the enhan-cing of existing data and infor-mation at various levels of actionwith an overall approach which bene-fits to all the stakeholders.

On 21 March 2006, the FT5-13 sessionof the 4th World Water Forum, jointlyorganized by the International Office forWater (IOWater) and the National WaterCommission of Mexico (Conagua),allowed to underline the advantages ofthese shared water information systemsfor risk and sustainable resourcesmanagement.After the presentation of several case studies,recommendations, which aim at facilitatingthe implementation of these systems, cameout of the discussions.It especially was deemed necessary to:v Raise the awareness of the political

and technical people in charge at alllevels for a consistent and comprehen-sive management of the data and infor-mation needed for Integrated WaterResources Management (IWRM) and riskmanagement.

v Define an overall strategy for theorganization and implementation ofthe information system, based on aconsistent assessment of the needs and ofwhat already exists and on the recogni-tion of the central role of data and infor-mation producers and managers existingat the various levels.

Special attention should be paid to theorganization of the prime contracting ofmonitoring networks and data bases, totheir financing, as well as to a suitable role forspecific basin organizations with regard toother participants.Gathering this information, requires a consis-tent organization of monitoring networks,analyses laboratories, data transmission andtheir checking and control, management of databases, their accessibility and their "products". It should be reminded that, if investmentcosts for obtaining appropriate information(stations, laboratories, teletransmission, au-tomatization, etc.) are high, the qualificationof intervening experts (training) and the func-tioning and operating costs are, by far, on themedium and long-term, the most significantand recurring items of expenditure. Thus, itappears unreasonable to invest withoutensuring positive means for optimumand continuous functioning of the sys-tems over a long period of time which, ofcourse, requires substantial, appropriate andunceasing financial resources.It is important to avoid using highly sophisti-cated tools, that favor the use of advancedtechnologies to the detriment of a real thin-king about a suitable organization and ofusing simple solutions, that are most oftenvery efficient. Information systems only operate when ablemen are responsible. The solution is never touse technological gadgets.

IOWater / CONAGUA Official Session Creation and Development of Water Information Systems

The Water Information Systemsshould be considered as priority toolsnecessary for good governance ofwater resources.

O f f i c e I n t e r n a t i o n a l d e l ' E a u

I n t e r n a t i o n a lO f f i c efor Water

CONAGUA


9The News N° 14

Moreover, if the information is to be useful, itmust not remain in the form of raw data, butshould be organized according to require-ments, whether it be the study of characte-rization or scenarios, Management Plans,action programs, budgetary simulations orthe basis for water taxes, the issuing ofadministrative authorizations or the study ofprojects, the regulation of public works,warning systems or even the evaluation ofthe results of implemented policies or, finally,the information of the general public, etc.

If the information is to be used, itmust be made available in the mostappropriate forms.

It is generally considered that access to publicraw data must be open and free for thevarious users. However, due to additionalcosts for processing and disseminating theinformation, it would appear quite normalthat the processed information be paid for.It is also necessary to define common stan-dards for globally gathering comparableinformation produced by the variousstakeholders, in order to organize real obser-vation systems at the level of national or

transboundary basins and to cen-tralize the synthetic informationneeded for the definition ofgovernmental policies.Information Systems ontransboundary rivers andaquifers would gain by beingdesigned in a consistent andglobal manner on the scale ofthe whole basin, within theframework of agreementsbetween riparian countries.

When effectively building shared Informa-tion Systems, it is especially recommendedto establish processes, which aim at:l Examining the nature (parameters, in-

dexes, integrators, frequency, representa-tiveness, standards) of the useful infor-mation;

l Organizing and facilitating the part-ner network of producers and users ofdata and information;

l Inventorying the existing data andinformation sources and analyzing theconditions for their production and avai-lability (metadata, etc.);

l Adopting a common language for al-lowing the exchange of comparable data;

l Developing an overall technicalarchitecture for the Information Sys-tem in order to optimize exchange capa-cities according to the existing ones andto expectations, and to draft technicalspecifications allowing technical compati-bility of exchanged data;

l Drawing-up, on a case by case basis,procedures for the exchange andenhancement of the data made avai-lable by the various producers, whilecomplying with the rights of access to theinformation which will have beendefined;

l Developing, according to the users’priorities and available means, data en-hancement tools and products;

l Organizing the production and dis-semination of knowledge necessaryfor decision-making and good publicinformation and participation.

It is also recommended that concerned PublicAuthorities and bi- and multilateral coopera-tion agencies:q Promote the development of specific

means and engineering proficiency in thefield of water data,

q Support the works that aim at definingcommon standards and nomenclaturesfor data administration in order toexchange, compare and summarize theinformation between partners at all rele-vant observation levels,

q Promote, as a prerequisite, the setting-upof observation systems for water resour-ces and their use at basin level, eithernational or transboundary.

4

www.iowater.orgwww.cna.gob.mx


"CNFME" also committed itself…On 18 and 19 of last March in Mexico City, the French National Training Center for Water Professions (CNFME/IOWater), in liai-son with the MESD and World Water Council (WWC), organized two training sessions in the “Learning Center” of the World Forum. These sessions were intended for elected officials: n “Local water governance”: stakeholders’ role, dialogue and decision-making, institutional arrangements and

performance indicators, etc. … with the experience of the Nantes Urban Community and comparisons with the German,Italian, South African and Mexican approaches.

n “Sanitation systems for small communities”: specificity and difficulties of the sanitation systems in areas withlow density of population, choice of collective, semi-collective or on-site solutions, selection criteria for the various waste-water treatment techniques, with the experience of the Mixed Syndicate for the Development and Rehabilitation of theLargue (SMARL) and ENDA on sanitation work undertaken in a peri-urban district of Dakar, which gave a very tangible ap-proach to the concept. 4

More than 250 participants Information: a priority!



Since September 2004, the TWINBASINxn

project, financed by the European Com-mission and directed by the InternationalOffice for Water and INBO, has significantlyprogressed in achieving its objectives. 26 twinning agreements are now active,involving more than 40 Basin Organiza-tions from 27 different countries andvery diverse geopolitical areas (France-Brazil; Spain-Romania; Kenya-Uganda; Aus-tralia-Philippines, etc.).New rules were formulated in 2006 to facili-tate access to the project with new twinnedbasins. Thus, for the first time, the SteeringCommittee, which met during the 4th WorldWater Forum in Mexico, approved a twinningwith three basin organizations from Kenya,United Kingdom and Poland. The Water Forum offered an important plat-form for promoting the project and dissemi-nating its results. In particular, a Press Conference allowed anenhancement of the lessons learned by thetwinning between the Seine-Normandy WaterAgency (France) and the Regional Water Direc-torate for Mexico Valley “Gerencia Regional delAgua del Valle de Mexico” (Mexico).

Owing to the good progress of many ongoingtwinning agreements, several partnersrequested an extension of the project sup-port, to continue their exchanges on thedevelopment of Integrated Water ResourcesManagement. Several extensions of twinningagreements have already been approved. The TWINBASINxn community has now morethan 70 assignment reports. In accordance with the recommendations ofthe last Steering Committee (Megève - Francein September 2006), emphasis is currentlygiven to the capitalization and disseminationof the obtained results: reports, general andtopical syntheses, etc.TWINBASINxn has also another aim:exchanging information with the "Cluster"projects, especially through web-conferences. This cluster gathers five other projectsregistered in the 6th Framework Programfor Research and De-velopment of the Eu-ropean Union: Wade,Rivertwin, Twinbas, Brah-matwin and Striver. Allthese research projectshave the same objectiveto improve IntegratedWater Resources Mana-gement by developingmanagement models.

Thus, TWINBASINxn contributed to the deve-lopment of these models through three web-conferences in 2006: “TWINBASINxn a modelfor basin management”; “Creating a twinningwith the Twinbasin project”; and “Economicinstruments for IWRM and planning tools”. The project is beginning its 4th and last year.The doors are still open to potentiallyinterested partners.It is still time to join us!For more information on the twinning agree-ments, TWINBASINxn results and web-conferences, please consult the website:

www.twinbasin.org4

TWINBASINXN

Twinning agreements between Basin Organizations for better Integrated Water Resources Management practices

The Working Group on “Governance of waterutilities”, set up within the French Partnershipfor Mexico (PFM), established a commonvision of the various stakeholders involvedand shared the experience on the manage-ment methods used in France. At the Mexico Forum, the French part-ners organized two sessions, one ontransparency, performance, democratic con-trol and governance of local drinking watersupply and sanitation utilities and the otheron the needs of the cities in developing coun-tries and solutions from international initia-tives.

The work of a group of "ENGREF" students (Na-tional School of Agricultural Engineering, Waterand Forestry), directed by IOWater, on “FrenchGovernance of drinking water supply and sani-tation utilities” is an interesting contribution.After having underlined the French characte-ristics, which are the role of the Water Agen-cies, a decentralized public organization ofwater utilities at the level of municipalities orgroups of them, and an experiment in pu-blicly controlled or delegated management,the document thoroughly deals with the"Sapin" Law (1993), which introduced com-petition among delegated managers, the

"Chevènement" Law (1999) on inter-commu-nity management, the "Barnier and Mazeaud"laws (1995) on relations between municipali-ties and their delegated managers. The Water Agencies have an increasing roleto play in water resource management andprotection. The increasing transparency allowed animprovement in users’ information. The con-sumers’ associations also play a more andmore significant part. The establishment of performance indicatorsallows for better understanding of all thepartners. 4

Governance of water utilities…...presentation of the successful French experience

Countries involved in TWINBASINxn


11

AFRICA

The News N° 14

The conclusions of theInternational Confe-

rence on "Achie-ving the Millenni-um Goals for waterand sanitation in

rural Africa", organi-zed in Paris on 1st April

2006, include the "creation of a regional ob-servation mechanism, accommodated at theAfrican Development Bank (AfDB), which willfollow the progress made towards achievingthis Millennium Goal (MDG7) in Africa andwill give advice to the Consultative WaterCommittee of the Secretary General of theUnited Nations". The French Ministry for Foreign Affairsrequested JMB CONSULT and IOWater toprepare a note, to be submitted to thedonors, presenting: u An analysis of the demands,

needs and expectations of theAfrican Countries for an evalua-tion of the progress made towardsMDG7, in particular, the evaluationof the coverage rate of access towater and sanitation.

u Recommendations for the crea-tion of an observation mecha-nism (operating mode and processes).

After completion of their mission, JMB Consultand IOWater proposed to rely on a federativebody composed of existing national, regionalor international institutions already involvedin the water and sanitation sector. The pro-posed scheme should be consensual andwould gather many partners, such as, forinstance, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, AAE, JMP,OECD, WRC, EMWIS, and, of course, thenational institutions specific to each country. The core would be the African Water Facility,acting under the aegis of the African Minis-ters’ Conference on Water (AMCOW) andaccommodated at the AfDB, which aims atdeveloping an institutional environmentfavorable to effective and efficient waterresources management as well as to thefinancing of small innovative water-relatedprojects in rural areas.4

African Development BankTowards a mechanism for following up the Millennium Goals

West AfricaFeasibility of a Regional WaterObservation SystemThe West African Governments, have adopteda Regional Action Plan for Integrated WaterResources Management (RAP-IWRM/WA) andset up a Permanent Framework for Coordina-tion and Follow-up (PFCF) within the EconomicCommunity of West African States (ECOWAS).This permanent framework is supported byfour bodies:n a Ministerial Follow-up Committee, n a Regional Council for Dialogue on Water

Resources, n a Technical Experts’ Committee of the

National Focal Points, n a Regional Coordination Unit for Water

Resources (CUWR), a Department ofECOWAS Executive Secretariat.

Whereas the first RAP-IWRM/WA projects arestarting to be financed, IOWater, with finan-cing from the Danish Agency for DevelopmentAssistance (DANIDA) and under CUWR super-vision, is contributing to the implementationof a feasibility study for a regional WaterObservation System in West Africa,which will have to facilitate the steering of theentire PFCF program, and to ensure thefollow-up of water management at the levelof the countries and basins.The results of the study were presented to theMinisterial Follow-up Committee in November2006. 4


Kenya Support to Capacity Building with the Kenyan Water Institute (KEWI)

The Ziga dam (Ouagadougou) © BAfD

The "ARCHE" Project (Support to HumanResource Capacity Building in the Water Sec-tor) was completed in March 2006.Please be reminded that the main objectiveof this project of the Ministry of WaterResources (MWRE), financed on the Frenchside by the Fund for Study and Assistance tothe Private Sector (FASEP), consisted inincreasing human resources in the Kenyanwater sector, relying on the KEWI traininginstitute in Nairobi.

During the last semester of 2005, a numberof educational units, inspired from those ofIOWater-"CNFME" in France, were built tocarry out practical training on the exploita-tion of drinking water supply networks.The implementation of this project wasentrusted to the French Consulting FirmSEURECA, on the basis of a conceptualdocument previously prepared by the Inter-national Office for Water.

In February 2006, the MWRE executivesagain called upon IOWater to carry out atraining course for about twenty KEWI trai-ners, in order to facilitate their new orienta-tion as regards the continuing training ofadults under professional conditions.This IOWater activity gave the opportunityof identifying new needs for assistance tothe Kenyan Water Service Providers andWater Service Authorities. 4

BANQUE AFRICAINE DE DEVELO

PPEMENT

AF

RICAN

DEVELOPMENT BANK

From one continent to another

12

AFRICACapacity Building

South Africa - NCWSTICreation of a network of Professional Training Centers with the National Community Water and Sanitation Institute (NCWSTI)

Large project

Within their capacity building strategy for thewater sector, the South-African Authoritiesdesignated the NCWSTI (National CommunityWater and Sanitation Training Institute) as na-tional operator of a consistent policy for the pro-fessional capacity building of the South-Africanstakeholders. It can be summarize in 5 issues:¶ creation of a network of professional

Training Centers,· definition of course programs and

the launching of new professionalqualifications,

¸ creation and training of a team ofspecialized trainers,

¹ identification of the training needs of the stakeholders working in thesector,

º implementation of a multi-year trai-ning program for these staffs.

The French Embassy and the South-Africanparty launched an international invitation totender for this project implementation, financedby the French Priority Solidarity Fund (PSF). In September 2003, the InternationalOffice for Water, associated with theSAUR, was the successful bidder of thisproject. An Inception Phase allowed to fit the entireproject with the South-African needs and toprovide reference documents for the buildingof educational units. 5 priority topics were retained: drinking watertreatment, wastewater treatment, electro-mechanical engineering, mechanical mainte-nance, customer management, with the aim ofdeveloping training modules and qualifi-cation processes, which were validated bythe Project Steering Committee (PSC).

The creation of two Regional Centers(Branches), located in the Kwazulu Nataland the Eastern Cape provinces, supple-mented the NCWSTI training means.The project continued with the implementa-tion of several training courses in 2006, dea-ling with the following topics:n Drinking water treatment: 2 courses carried

out by IDFP - SAUR;n Wastewater treatment: 2 courses carried

out by CNFME - IOWater;n Electrical maintenance: 1 course carried

out by CNFME - IOWater;n Customer management: 1 course carried

out by IDFP - SAUR.Each training activity has a twofold purpose:on the one hand, to train groups of South-African trainers for them to train the operatorscoming from their respective geographicalareas, and, on the other, to provide NCWSTIwith educational kits for developing and rein-forcing its training offer in compliance with thestandards enacted by the South African Au-thority Qualification, and meeting, in particular,the procedures known as “National Qualifica-tion Level”. Several activities were carried out in Durban inorder to widen the geographic coverage of thisnational training network. At the same time, the NCWSTI, usingthe plans provided by IOWater, built thefirst educational units, dealing withdrinking water supply networks, whichwill allow for the practical trainingunder real conditions of the staffs of thesector. The appointment of the new General Managerof the NCWSTI, Professor George Djolov, conso-lidates and impulses the continuation of thisproject together with the members of the ProjectSteering Committee, gathering representativesof the French Embassy in Pretoria and of theDepartment of Water Affairs & Forestry (DWAF). Other actions, carried out by IOWater, dealtwith the Management of Services (performanceindicators, human resources management).

The official inauguration of the NCWSTI newfacilities is planned for March 2007.4

Training unit for the laying out of mains

Building of the “network” unit



ICRC"Wat-hab"

Started several years ago,the collaboration bet-ween the "Water andHabitat" (Wat-hab) de-

partment of the Interna-tional Committee of the

Red Cross (ICRC), based in Geneva,and the IOWater’s National TrainingCenter for Water Professions (CNFME)is now strengthening.IOWater received in Limoges, from 2 to13 October 2006, for the fifth consecutiveyear, a group of ICRC Project Managers,based worldwide (Burundi, DemocraticRepublic of Congo, Liberia, Thailand,Guinea Conakry, Rwanda, Eritrea, IvoryCoat, etc.), for a professional trainingcourse on the "Audit of drinking waterinfrastructures". In 2006, IOWater also carried out, on be-half of the ICRC and in partnership withthe Wat-hab cells of the concerned coun-tries, several training courses on thedesign and exploitation of drinking watersupply networks, in Burundi, and on themanagement and audit of drinking waterproduction plants, in Burundi and theDemocratic Republic of Congo.4

13

AFRICATransboundary River Basins

The News N° 14

An outstanding political will led the people incharge of the Volta River Basin, which in-volves six countries (Benin, Burkina Faso,Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali and Togo), to build aframework necessary for the IntegratedManagement of their shared water resources. Thanks to the support of French bilateralcooperation, the International Office forWater could provide them with effectivetechnical assistance.

The IOWater team has accom-panied the Volta Basin TechnicalCommittee (VBTC) since 2004 inthe creation of an organizationresponsible for Integrated Mana-gement of Water Resources, ofecosystems and other relatedresources of the Volta Basin. This allowed the drafting ofstatutes for the Volta BasinAuthority, and of its internaland financial rules. Of course, this work has fullytaken into account the nationalstrategies related to waterresource management in each of

the six Member States. It also integrated the convergent actions car-ried out in the basin, under the aegis of theAfrican Development Bank, the World Bank,the European Water Initiative and of FFEMand other donors and stakeholders.

4

Ethiopia An institutional framework for the Abbay River Basinon the Ethiopian NileOn the request of BRL Engineering, successfultenderer of a general bid, the InternationalOffice for Water participated in the imple-mentation of the "Institutional setup studies ofthe Ethiopian Nile Basin (Abbay Basin)Project" by seconding in 2006 an expert to theMinistry of Water Resources of the FederalRepublic of Ethiopia.

Our expert contributed in the drafting of aLaw on Basin Organizations, which wasapproved by the Ethiopian Authorities con-cerned. He also raised the Ethiopian partners’awareness to the operating of French andinternational basin organizations and to theiractivities related to integrated water resourcesmanagement at the level of river basins.

A ministerial visit to France is planned in thenear future.

4

In 2003, the World Bank had called upon theInternational Office for Water (IOWater),to carry out an Audit aiming at proposinginstitutional and organizational reforms forthe Niger Basin Authority (NBA). Within the “shared Vision” process, whichshould lead to a Sustainable DevelopmentAction Plan and an Investment Program, theNiger Basin Authority benefits from financialresources from the European Water Facility forAfrica.IOWater is the NBA partner in this project,and will especially deal with the followingtopics:l Legal instruments; l Consistency with the National Processes

of Integrated Water Resources Manage-ment (IWRM);

l Preparation of the Investment Programand of its Implementation timetable;

l Formulation and methods for the imple-mentation of Investment Projects.

IOWater assists NBA with the supervision ofthe services provided by consultants andconsulting firms, as regards the:u drafting of Terms of Reference, u sending of Invitations to Ten-

der,u organization of the selection

procedure,u analysis of the offers and

selection of the candidates, u preparation of agreements

with the selected serviceproviders,

u support to the follow-up ofstudies.

IOWater will also support the organizationof the donors’ round table.Whenever needed, on-site missions willallow analyses and proposals before the pro-viding of external services, and the post-eva-luation of the orientations formulated by thelocal consultants and the selected consultingfirms. 4

Niger River Basin From Audit to Partnership


Large projectThe Volta Creation of a Volta Basin Authority

The Niger River

The Volta River Basin


The Mexican Water Law of 29 April 2004 (Leyde Aguas Nacionales) stipulates that "plan-ning and national programming of waterresources will be based on a National Sys-tem (SINA), and Regional Water Infor-mation Systems (SIRAs)".The CONAGUA became in charge of creatingand developing this National Water Informa-tion System of Mexico (SINA) and of suppor-ting the new "Basin Organizations" in thecreation of Regional Water Information Sys-tems (SIRAs).Within its partnership with IOWater,CONAGUA and the Mexican institutions con-cerned by this project carried out a detailedanalysis of the legislative, institutional andtechnical context of water data and infor-mation management in Mexico, in order todefine:n a vision of the SINA and SIRAs in the

medium term (main tasks, targetedpublic, types and fields of data and infor-mation to be managed, etc.);

n the organizational and inter-institutionaltools to be developed and the variousessential technical aspects of the project;

n a multiyear action program and a detailedplan for the first two years.

In 2005, the "SINA/SIRA project" started itsimplementation phase with a continuation ofIOWater technical support.

At the inter-institutional level, a WaterTopical Group was officially created aswell as specialized sub-groups from themain institutions concerned at the federallevel: CONAGUA; SEMARNAT (Govern-mental Secretariat in charge of the Envi-ronment), INEGI (Cartographic and Statis-tical Institute responsible, in particular, forstandardizing the Mexican sectoral infor-mation systems), etc.The Planning Department of theCONAGUA is coordinating these topicalgroups and developing common tools forthe system:l the SINA website for presenting on-

going actions, enhancing alreadyexisting products (SUIBA, etc.), makingavailable the elements of the commonlanguage, etc.;

l the catalogue of Mexican waterstakeholders ("yellow pages").

4

www.conagua.gob.mx/SINA

14

LATIN AMERICA

The National WaterCommission:l Allows for consistency

at national level,l Defines policy directives,l Deals with inter-basin

strategies and national security.

The Basin Organizations:l Formulate the basin plan,l Manage the national waters

of the basin,l Coordinate integrated

management,l Harmonize specific actions,l Facilitate and support

the Society’s participation by way of the Basin Assembly and Council.

The "SINA" and "SIRAs" in Mexico

Mexico - CONAGUAFor five years, many information and cooperation missions have been carried out by experts from IOWater and the French Water Agencies,within the "Program for support to the Mexican Water Sector", financed by the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Large project

The Mexican National Water Commis-sion (CONAGUA) has been interestedin the French experience and especial-ly in the know-how developed byIOWater in the field of water data andinformation management.

The National Water Information System (SINA) & Regional Water Information Systems (SIRAs)



A permanent partnership with CEMCAS

15

LATIN AMERICAMexico - CONAGUA

The News N° 14Information: Fax: +33 (0) 4 93 65 44 02 - E-mail: [email protected]

Reform of planningprocessesWith a view to progressively evolve from asingle multiyear planning of hydraulicinfrastructures to a true water integratedplanning in the medium and long term, theFrench experts, mobilized by the Interna-tional Office for Water, wrote, togetherwith their Mexican colleagues, a series ofrecommendations, dealing with:u consistency between federal and

regional levels;u adequacy between "water manage-

ment" and "regional planning"; u the definition of clear, transparent and

quantified objectives; u a progressive decentralization of deci-

sion-making; u an evolution of sectoral policies

towards comprehensive management.The French and European experienceswere also presented and adapted to theMexican context for proposals related to:l the participative nature of decision-

making processes; l the integration of environmental

aspects, by introducing objectivesrelated to the natural environments;

l equity between users.Finally, three points were thoroughlydiscussed:n tools for economic analysis, which

allow the optimization of invest-ments, the search for a betterrecovery of environmental costsfor each economic sector;

n pricing, as an instrument for in-fluencing demands and forrecovering management, invest-ment and operating costs;

n performance indicators, for eva-luating public policies, the intro-duction of which is interesting forbetter guaranteeing that theobjectives are achieved.

4

Creation of the national documentation system

O f f i c e I n t e r n a t i o n a l d e l ' E a u

CONAGUA

The Mexican Training Center for Water and Sanitation

Financed by the French Ministry for ForeignAffairs and WMO (World MeteorologicalOrganization), IOWater intervened for ana-lyzing the production of documents by thevarious departments of the CONAGUA, andproposing an architecture, for the organiza-tion and installation of a modern and effectivedocumentary information supporting tool inMexico.The CONAGUA thus wished to benefitfrom the experience of the InternationalOffice for Water in water-related docu-mentation.With its home office in Mexico City and 33 branches on the territory (20 federal agen-cies and 13 regional agencies), theCONAGUA and its 20,000 employeesproduce a lot of information each year. In addition to the measurements carried outin the field (meteorology, hydraulics, qualityfollow-up, etc.), reports, evaluations andstudies are produced and stored at theLibrary of Studies and Projects, whichunfortunately, has no modern tool for infor-mation management.IOWater proposed a complete sequence fordocument processing, which starts with thedefinition of a method for information pro-cessing, staff training and recommendationsfor choosing a documentary software andpremises for the storage of documents, con-tinues with office automation equipment forthe management of documents, and ends

with their on-line consultation on theCONAGUA website. A circuit of the documents, making the Libraryof Studies and Projects the custodian of allinternal documents of the CONAGUA, willcomplete its operation, making it the resourcecenter of the institution know-how. Over 15 months, the evolution of the library willequip the CONAGUA with a modern informa-tion tool, adapted to the Mexican needs.4

www.conagua.gob.mx

http://waterdoc.iowater.org

Meeting of the “water” topical group (February 2006)

I n t e r n a t i o n a lO f f i c efor Water

r From one continent to another


EUROPE

EUROPE-INBOEUROPE-INBO 2006 - Megève

More than 400 participants, including 250elected representatives, scientists and techni-cians of the water sector, as well as 165 repre-sentatives of governmental administrationsresponsible for water resource management, ofBasin Organizations or District Authorities,coming from 33 Countries, met on thisoccasion. The French Minister for Ecology and Sus-tainable Development, Mrs. Nelly OLIN,who came to open the congress, deve-loped several major points, which espe-cially concern the mountains and whichappear in the draft water law underdiscussion at the Parliament.Especially addressing the elected officials frommountainous areas, Mrs. OLIN declared: "youare the guardians of this water tower that areyour mountains".

During the "EUROPE-INBO 2006" Confe-rence, directed by the International Net-work of Basin Organization (INBO), ofwhich the International Office for Watertakes care of the secretariat, the participantsdiscussed about four main current topicsfor the implementation of the WaterFramework Directive in the EuropeanRiver Basin Districts:n Compatibility between WFD and

large infrastructures (hydropower, pro-tection against erosion and floods, inlandwaterways, etc.), Heavily Modified WaterBodies,

n The taking into account of quantita-tive problems (droughts, water sharing,water transfers and reservoirs, specificityof the Mediterranean climate, etc.),

n Monitoring, monitoring networksand reporting, comparisons betweenWater Bodies of various countries, inter-calibration,

n Preparation of future action plans,their cost, the economic studies andfinancing, etc.

Special attention was paid, of course, to thecharacteristics of hydrological and ecologicalregions and Water Bodies in the Europeanmountains, basin heads, and to the specificactions, which are to be considered, forachieving their good ecological status in 2015. Generally, the representatives of basin orga-nizations favorably considered the first stagesof implementation of the Framework Direc-tive, which introduced new methods for verypositive analysis and work. Among the numerous recommenda-tions which were issued, we shall espe-cially retain:With regard to floods:l It is, above all, necessary to make the "up-

stream-downstream common cause"a main item of consistent management onthe scale of basins and sub-basins,

l In the transboundary basins, in parti-cular, cooperation between riparian Statesfor jointly looking for coordinated solu-tions and for sharing responsibilitiesshould be promoted,

l Protection against floods must passthrough a coordinated approach,combining the protection of people and

properties, the reduction of vulnerabili-ties, the restoration of the open flows ofrivers, the conservation and the re-buil-ding of the natural flood storage areas,the forecasting of events, the identifica-tion of zones at risk, the publication of"atlases" of floodplains, the control of ur-banization, warning and education.

As regards hydropower:ä The hydropower infrastructures

change the ecosystems but producerenewable energy. On the one hand,the Water Framework Directive streng-thens the protection of aquatic ecosys-tems, even their restoration, on the other,the "Renewable Energy" Directive aims atincreasing the energy produced withoutgreenhouse effect, including hydropo-wer… (dams, micro power stations, etc.),how can we apply these two directives atthe same time?

ä The modernization and optimizationof the existing hydropower installa-tions are a priority.

With regard to quantitative water management:v The availability of fresh water, in

sufficient quantity and quality, maybecome, in a generation from now, oneof the main limiting factors of the eco-nomic and social development in manyEuropean countries and not only in theMediterranean area.

v It is necessary to increase the thinkingabout and prospective on the conse-quences of the climate change.A common approach is necessary to com-ply with the obligations of the WFD incritical situations.

v The prevention of future droughtscan no more be done on a case-by-casebasis but must be planned in the longterm, by solving the structural problemswhich occur in order to prevent, in thebest possible way, their effects and toavoid the total degradation of waterresources.

v Mobilizing new resources should only beplanned for when they are ecologicallyacceptable and economically reasonable.

The 2nd International Congress ofMegève on "water in mountains"gathered, on last 20, 21 and 22 Sep-tember:u the scientific and technical confe-

rence on "integrated managementof upper basins",

u "the Meeting of Elected Represen-tatives from Mountainous areas",on their responsibilities in watermanagement,

u the 4th European Conference"EUROPE-INBO 2006" of the Euro-pean Group of the InternationalNetwork of Basin Organizations,for a better implementation of theWater Framework Directive (WFD).

Mrs. Nelly Olin


17The News N° 14

v Plans for the management of waterscarcity should prioritize drinking watersupply as compared to the other uses,making sure that water is equitably andsoundly shared between the varioususes, ensuring a better optimization ofwater and avoiding wastages.

v Water saving, leak detection, recycling,the reuse of treated water, groundwaterrecharge, the desalination of sea water,research on low-consumption uses mustbecome priorities.

As regards the obligations of establishing monitoring networks and control programs: ò It is a major concern for the basin

organizations, due to the close deadlinegiven by the WFD,

ò There is a methodological step tomake to pass from the control of phy-sico-chemistry to that of biology, plannedfor in the WFD,

ò It is still difficult to define the controlnetworks, because of the lack of bench-marks with the definition of what shouldprecisely be the "Good EcologicalStatus",

ò Significant financial efforts are to beplanned to ensure the creation andoperation of these control networks,

As concerns the preparation ofthe future "Management Plans"and "Programs of Measures":å Efforts should be oriented towards

the sewerage systems and waste-water treatment plants of smallcommunities, towards the on-site sani-tation sector, the rearing houses, espe-cially in sectors where small rivers havevery low self-purification capacities.

å A better coordination betweenwater policy and the CommonAgricultural Policy is essential. It isnecessary to better identify the areas inwhich agricultural pressures have a signi-ficant impact on water quality and toprioritize the means necessary for resto-ring quality.

å It is necessary to raise the aware-ness and inform the general public,to explain the stakes, so that the peoplecan give their opinion: original approa-ches, based on the organization of localevents or on the use of local communica-tion supporting aids, are effective formobilizing the citizens, the use of specia-lists in communication and publicenquiries will be necessary, many suitablemethods are still to be tested.

å These consultations will have a cost andit is necessary to plan for significantbudgets to comply with the new obliga-tions of the WFD in this field.

å It is necessary to strengthen cooperationprograms with the neighboring countriesof the enlarged European Union, for themanagement of the InternationalDistricts of transboundary rivers, inEastern Europe and in the Balkans, andwithin the neighborhood policy in theMediterranean and in the Caucasus,

å The European funds for regionalcohesion will have to support theefforts of the new Member States.

å It is important to find a suited scale forwork, sometimes local, to develop themeasures to be taken. Plans for sub-basins and local programs of measures(river contracts, etc.) should then be con-sidered, in consistency with the DistrictManagement Plan, by mobilizing localparticipative structures either alreadyexisting or to be created.

å To meet the information needs, it isnecessary to capitalize and promoteTrans-European exchanges of experiencebetween the River Basin Districts, byusing more and more the new informa-tion technologies.

The participants also insisted on the need toincrease dialogue between researchers andBasin Organizations to promote demonstrationactions in particular.It is also necessary to promote and developlocal initiatives of partnership between theresearch world and the field experts (workshopareas for example). Mr. Jacky COTTET, President of theFrench Rhone-Mediterranean & CorsicaWater Agency, will chair the "EUROPE-INBO" group until next plenary assemblyin Autumn 2007 in Italy.The detailed final resolutions of the "EUROPE-INBO 2006" conference, as well as the papersand photographs of the sessions are availableon the website:

www.inbo-news.org4

More than 400 participants

The "EUROPE-INBO 2006" Conference



Get registered!



18

EUROPE THE EUROPEAN WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE


WFD The implementation of the EuropeanWater Framework Directive (WFD) is anessential concern of the Member Statesand pre-accession countries. It is inte-resting other countries of Eastern Eu-rope, the Balkans and of the Mediter-ranean, which orientate themselvestowards water management methodsclose to the European concepts.The Common Implementation Strategy(CIS) is defined by working groups ledby the European Water Directors andthe European Commission, who wrotemany very interesting and usefulorientation documents for a commonunderstanding of the various aspectsof the WFD; these guidance docu-ments were also tested in about fif-teen pilot basins, distributed on theentire territory of the European Unionand in pre-accession countries. The International Network ofBasin Organizations (INBO), ofwhich the International Office for Wa-ter takes care of the secretariat, isa member of the CommonStrategy Coordination Group forthe WFD implementation process andparticipates in all its meetings.4

CEENBO WorkshopA CEENBO (Central andEastern European Net-work of Basin Organiza-tions) workshop tookplace in Bucharest on 22 and 23 June 2006, onthe implementation of theEuropean Water Frame-work Directive, with thesupport of the Interna-tional Office for Water.It gathered experts fromHungary, Romania, Poland,Serbia, Bulgaria, France,Spain, Czech Republic,Uzbekistan and Belarus toexchange on the definitionof the "good ecologicalstatus" and potential of "Water Bodies" andon related surface water monitoring.It gave to the different countries the occasionto present their progress reports on the Direc-tive implementation.This workshop led to the formulation of com-mon recommendations for the assessment ofthe "Good Status" and of a methodology forassessing water and environmental quality:n Use of a common reference system with

reliable typologies;n Definition of an evaluation system: com-

mon understanding of the status of water

resources and the environment, clearseparation of technical and socioecono-mic issues, monitoring using commonparameters and frequencies, inter-calibra-tion, common criteria for selecting refe-rence sites, preparation of the Program ofMeasures;

n Importance of the representativeness ofthe monitoring network;

n Common data management by the diffe-rent administrative bodies: adoption of acommon language for data codificationand for acquiring the same metadata, andidentification of responsibilities.

4

Revision of the list of priority substancesFollowing a European invitation to tender,IOWater and "INERIS" were selected toprovide technical assistance to the DGEnvironment of the European Commissionduring 3 years (2005-2008). This assignment requires sharp technicalexpertise on substances, good knowledge ofthe Water Framework Directive (WFD) and ofthe associated European organization, know-how on data organization for their collectionand dissemination and reporting. The assign-ment also deals with the revision of the list ofpriority substances given by the WFD (with apriori a new list to be proposed in 2008) andwith the drafting of proposals on the futuremandate of European experts’ groups forsupporting the Commission, within theframework of on-going infringement proce-dures.

Its purpose is to help the Commission in theimplementation of article 16, especially in therevision of the methods for selecting the sub-stances, in order to propose an improvedmethod for "prioritizing substances" known as"COMMPS+".To that are added the collection and analysisof relevant data in order to identify newpriority substances, the analysis of reportsfrom the Member States on emissions ofpriority substances (in accordance with article5), the identification of Environmental QualityStandards applicable to such substances oreven the development of a tool for regularcollection of information, integrated into thefuture European "WISE" system.The proposal for a "priority substances"Directive, published in July 2006, partlyincludes these issues.4

The CEENBO workshop in Bucharest on 22 and 23 June 2006

WFD - DCE

www.iowater.orgThe water world

on the Web

4,000,000 visitorsin 2006!


19The News N° 14Information: Fax: +33 (0) 4 93 65 44 02 - E-mail: [email protected]

EUROPE

Issues requiring new research are arising for agood implementation of the Water Frame-work Directive up to 2015 and beyond.European Research has thus to provideresponses allowing good water resour-ces management (qualification of goodecological status, economic tools, pres-sure/impact models, participative mana-gement, control of discharges of priority sub-stances, etc.). This requires thoroughexchanges with the stakeholders involved inmanagement and decision-making, andpasses through: l the identification and validation of re-

search needs; l the preparation and follow-up of research

programs; l the dissemination of research outcomes.The European network IWRM-NET (2006-2010) is an ERA-NET (European ResearchArea - NETworking) project, launched andcoordinated by the International Office forWater (IOWater). Its aim is to create a Euro-pean network of national and regionalresearch programs on Integrated WaterResources Management (IWRM).The 17 European partners, involved in 14 European countries, defined an actionplan to launch transnational research activitiesin order to provide the Basin District managerswith the means and knowledge suitable forimplementing the Framework Directive.IWRM-Net is also the network, which willenable exchanges on good practices for themanagement of research programs (definitionof needs, selection of projects, transfer of

results, per formance evaluation of theresearch programs, etc.), to create new spacesfor communication useful for better under-standing between decision-makers/mana-gers/researchers, and resulting in activitiesleading for example to:o the development of new responsibili-

ties, o the "translation" of needs into scientific

terms, o the dissemination of research out-

comes in terms "appropriable" by fieldoperators,

o the definition and structure of jointresearch programs on local scaleswhere research problems arise in thesame way (same hydrological, economic,ecosystemic context, etc.).

o the starting of real interdisciplinary(and not only multidisciplinary)research programs.

IWRM-Net relies on 20 research pro-grams, now represented by the project part-ners, to which can be added later new Euro-pean programs or neighbor countries as ob-servers.The assessment of research needs in the shortor long term, close relations with the CIS (Com-mon Implementation Strategy) of the Frame-work Directive and also good complementaritywith the other ERA-NET projects, related to theproblems of sustainable development and envi-ronmental management (CIRCLE, SKEP, BIODI-VERSA, SNOWMAN, etc.) are as many pillarson which IWRM-NET relies.

IItt aaiimmss aatt iinnccrreeaassiinngg ssyynneerrggiieessbb ee tt ww ee ee nn tt hh ee oo rr gg aa nn ii zz ee rr ss oo ff ppuubbll iicc rreesseeaarrcchh oonn wwaatteerr iinn tthheeMMeemmbbeerr SSttaatteess aanndd ssttrreennggtthheenn--iinngg tthheeiirr eeffffeeccttiivveenneessss ffoorr bbeett--tteerr wwaatteerr ppooll iiccyy iinn EEuurrooppee!!

The topics needed for launching future joint acti-vities, the choice of research programs to bejointly implemented, and the IWRM-NETprospects in a supporting and innovative contextfor the WFD implementation have to be discussedduring a conference, taking place in Londonon 10 and 11 January 2007 and in which allthe interested European managers of public re-search programs have been invited to participate.4

www.iwrm-net.eu

For better European research on Integrated Water Resources Management

For a few years, the Euro-pean Environment Agencyhas developed a base avail-able on the Internet on thereporting obligations of the

countries according to Euro-pean environmental legislation

and various international agreements andconventions (Directives, Sea Conventions,etc.).

This base is presented in the form of sheets: a sheet for each legislative instrument and a sheet for each reporting obligation. It includes consolidated legal texts, linkstowards the institutions responsible for data-gathering and towards previous reports, allthe guides developed for reporting, with con-tents and deadlines, the data and otherelements to be reported, etc.

IOWater regularly updates the "water"section, and, this year, integrated all the con-solidated European legislation on water. The site is in English with all the con-solitated texts. 4

rod.eionet.eu.int

IIWW

EETTCC

Large project

ETC/WTR International Reporting on water: a reference tool


20

EUROSTATA European Guide on sanitation-relateddata

Every two years, EUROSTAT and OECDdisseminate to the Member States a statis-tical questionnaire which covers the wholewater cycle. The questionnaire includes nine sections,from abstractions to consumption andwastewater discharges. The collected data are available on theEUROSTAT website, free of charge.The data must cover the entire statisticalfield (wastewater treatment plants,abstractions, etc.). It is thus necessary touse a balanced combination of all possiblemeans for collecting available information.A first collection handbook, gatheringrecommendations, good practices anddetailed explanations of the concepts, hadbeen prepared in 2004 by IOWater, asso-ciated with CEH-Wallingford, WRc andCEDEX. The feedbacks from the users led EURO-STAT to wish the development of an im-proved version of this guide with decisioncharts, diagrams, digital examples, etc.IOWater and its Austrian partner"UBA-A" produced this second guide,in order to allow its immediate usefor the 2006 data collection. Designed in such a way as to enable its useas a whole or by section, the documentwants to be modular, effective and precise.It includes a set of definitions and the wayof dealing with the qualitative aspects ofdata production and management. It inte-grates the last evolutions regarding infor-mation systems and suggestions forenhancing the already collected data to themaximum for other needs. This guide, available to the national statis-tical services, should also be used as abasis for improving the definition of needsfor statistical data on water at the Euro-pean level.4


From one continent to anotherEUROPE

Launched in 2005, this technical assistanceproject, supported by the French Fund for Glo-bal Environment (FFEM), with a total budgetof 3.7 Million Euros, should continue up tomid-2007. Led by the International Office for Waterunder the aegis of the InternationalCommission for the Protection of theDanube River (ICPDR), the project reci-pient, its objective is to enable the Hungarianand Romanian Authorities to integrate a sus-tainable development policy into themanagement of the Körös/Crisuri Basin, sub-basin of the Tisza, tributary of the Danube, bytaking into account the users’ needs and theconservation of aquatic ecosystems. This project is based on the regulations of theEuropean Water Framework Directive, whichmake the States impulse a common vision ofthe water management objectives, throughthe preparation and implementation of aBasin Management Plan.Much progress has been made since thelaunching of the project. The action planof the French, Hungarian and Romanianexperts includes the following steps:n Coordinating the various stages to

meet the obligations of the FrameworkDirective;

n Analyzing the risk of not achieving"Good Status", by taking into accountthe baseline scenario for 2015;

n Determining the significant issues re-lated to the basin characterization and tothe definition of a Program of Measures;

n Preparing surface and ground watermonitoring, including the harmonizationof the delimitation of Water Bodies, thedefinition of "Good Status", and theformulation of a Monitoring Pro-gram;

n Drafting a Program of Mea-sures and testing it on a sub-basinunit;

n Modeling pressures and im-pacts, as a decision-making sup-porting tool for preparing the Pro-gram of Measures; this part includesthe selection of various models andtheir test on a sub-basin unit;

n A detailed economic analysis of theplanned measures and their effects, forselecting the most suitable measures;

n Methods for public participation,with the testing of an enquiry on signifi-cant issues on the two national territories.

The project also plans the formulation of a Plan for the Prevention and Control ofAccidental Water Pollution.It inventories the possible sources of accidentalpollution, as well as the propagation mecha-nisms, that could result from it. It describes theprocesses to be implemented and the variousservices to get involved, should an accidentalevent occur. To achieve these objectives and to comple-ment the assignments of the involved Frenchexperts, two topical study tours wereorganized in France. They allowed the Hun-garian and Romanian experts to benefit fromthe French experience in surface water moni-toring and water data management. In these study tours, IOWater relied on expertsof the Ministry of Ecology and SustainableDevelopment, the Higher Council for Fisheries,Rhone-Alps "DIREN", Rhone-Mediterranean &Corsica and Rhine-Meuse Water Agencies, the"CEMAGREF" of Lyons and "BRGM".Thanks to a common European legislativecontext, the project has now a positive dyna-mics, as the results show it, and it can fullybenefit to the two involved countries and tothe other Danubian Countries.4

Hungary / RomaniaThe Transboundary Basin of the Körös/Crisuri

Study tour on surface water monitoring in the Rhone River Basin

Large project

21

EUROPE

r

The News N° 14

The PHARE Twinning on the implementationof the European Water Framework Directive(WFD), between the French Ministry of Ecolo-gy and Sustainable Development (MESD) andthe Polish Ministry of the Environment, wascompleted in October 2006, after more than 2 years of work, carried out by IOWater asproject operator. This project mobilized a full-time FrenchAdviser in Warsaw and 52 experts, comingfrom the MESD, "DIREN", Water Agencies(Adour-Garonne, Artois-Picardy, Seine-Normandy, Rhine-Meuse), "BRGM" andIOWater, who carried out 170 assignments.The overall objective of this twinningwas to provide support to the WFD im-plementation, and more particularly tothe preparation of the ManagementPlans and Programs of Measures for thePolish River Basin Districts. A pilot river basin was selected to testthe implementation of the Directive: theUpper Vistula Basin, from its spring to theconfluence with the Raba River, which coversa surface area of 10,000 km2 with a popula-tion of about 4.3 million inhabitants and ischaracterized by an irregular distribution ofwater resources and by high urbanization andindustrial concentration. High salinity and alow groundwater level imply high costs forthe supply of water to the population. Thisregion was chosen for its great variety ofwater management problems.The experiment has been undertakenfor about 18 months in this UpperVistula pilot Basin.

It allowed the testing of methods for: l Improving the Basin characteriza-

tion, with a detailed analysis of pressuresand of their impacts on water quality;data were gathered and supplemented toallow a test of the PEGASE model, andwith an economic analysis of water uses,with, in particular, the organization of sec-toral workshops, gathering the maineconomic stakeholders of the Basin(mines, agriculture, local authorities) toallow the development of baselinescenarios up to 2015;

l Analyzing the risk of not achieving"Good Status";

l Identifying the main water manage-ment issues in the Basin. This workallowed the drafting of a documentevidencing priority problems. It was usedfor consultation of the interested partiesand of the public.

l Formulating a Program of Measuresfor Water Bodies at risk of not achieving"Good Status"; a database was previouslydeveloped gathering the main measuresused in Poland with an indication of thecorresponding costs;

l Public information and consultation:a committee, representing the Basin localinterest groups, was made up to give anopinion on the drawn-up documents tobe used as support for a public enquiry(characterization, significant water mana-gement issues in the Basin, Programs ofMeasures, etc.) and on the organizationof the consultation itself. Facilitators werealso trained and a direct public consulta-tion was carried out.

Special attention was paid to the eco-nomic analysis during all the stagesof the WFD implementation process:cost-effectiveness analysis of the Programsof Measures, economic justification for theHeavily Modified Water Bodies, estimatesof environmental and resource costs,disproportionate costs, etc.

A baseline scenario was drawn up. It is a set of scenarios on changes, that canoccur in all the socioeconomic sectors and thatcan directly or indirectly influence the aquaticenvironments, during the time period givenfor applying the European regulations. These analyses were also carried out in theNarew Basin. The aspects specific to International RiverBasin Districts were dealt with in the BugBasin, with meetings gathering representa-tives from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus.The tests allowed the drawing-up ofmethodologies and recommendations,which were presented in several topicalguides, especially on the baseline scenario,the main water management problems, theProgram of Measures.The main elements were integrated into a finalguide, presenting the whole process of aManagement Plan preparation. All these guides were developed according toa process for validation by the Technical Com-mittee, made up for the project and composedof representatives from the RZGWs and mainPolish organizations concerned by the WFDimplementation.

Seminars and training courses al-lowed the dissemination of the pro-ject results and the presentation ofthese guides to about 1,000 partici-pants from all the Polish regions.

A conclusion seminar was organized inPultusk on 2 and 3 October 2006.4

Workshop on the identification of the big stakes during a training program in Gdansk

Comparison of methods for assessing the biological quality of rivers

From one continent to anotherPolandSuccessful twinning on the European Water Framework Directive

Large project



ASIA

Within the sixth RDFP, the launching ofMELIA in Seville, from 4 to 8 September2006, gathered 20 Mediterranean countriesand more than 40 partners at the home officeof the CSIC (Spanish National ResearchCenter), which manages and coordinates thisproject. MELIA shows a dynamics, which aims atpromoting all means for exchanges betweenthe socioeconomic stakeholders of the con-cerned countries and the principles for sus-tainable development of inland and coastalwaters resources in the Mediterranean region.The International Office for Water is incharge of analyzing the "water policies" ofeach country of the Mediterranean Basin and,in particular, the economic aspects, the reso-lution and management of conflicts, goodgovernance.

This step will have to result in identifying howthe Water Framework Directive principles canbe implemented in the Southern countries ofthe Basin. Which are then the implemen-tation constraints and limits? For three years, IOWater will also coordinatethe analysis of water policies according to themost crucial stakes; such as the allocation ofwater resources, pricing, quantitative mana-gement, pollution control, respect of naturalspaces, etc.Thanks to MELIA, spaces for dialogue orplatforms for exchanges will be built, so thatdecision makers, researchers, water users,representatives of the civil society can betterunderstand the stakes and jointly make deci-sions. MELIA objective is also that water-relatedresearch in the Mediterranean countries

influences the institutional world and that themanagers and decision makers take intoaccount its results to formulate adapted waterpolicies in their own countries.

4

MEditerranean diaLogue on Integrated watermanAgement - MELIAFor better dialogue between the Mediterranean water stakeholders


on the Web

4,000,000 visitorsin 2006!

THE MEDITERRANEAN

In spite of the regular and beneficial highwater levels of the Mekong, competition forwater starts to be felt in Cambodia, due to theincrease in population and urban consump-tion. Water resources are still not wellknown…

This is why the Cambodian Governmentwished to set up the bases of IntegratedWater Resources Management (IWRM) andmost of the necessary legal texts had alreadybeen written. It is now necessary to implement this newpolicy in the field.

Implementation started within theNorth West Irrigation Sector Project ofCambodia, led by BCEOM and finan-ced by the Asian Development Bankand the French Development Agency.IOWater was responsible for introducingthe IWRM concepts, by "coaching" thepeople in charge of water in the Cambo-dian Administration, especially at thelocal level, in the concerned Provinces ofBattambang, Banteay Meanchey andPursat and in the sub-basins of tributariesof the Tonle Sap Lake in the WesternNorth of the Country.

This pragmatic approach allowed the deve-lopment of an embryo of a future sub-basinorganization with its composition and opera-ting mode. Cases of conflict on uses were jointly identi-fied with the local partners. The needs forknowledge and new responsibilities wereunderlined. The first analyses, that should lead to the jointmanagement of water resources, were star-ted. 4

Cambodia Introduction to IWRM in the North Western Provinces

The Tonle Sap Lake



Get registered!


23The News N° 14

The Barcelona Declaration of 28 November1995 created the "Euro-Mediterranean Part-nership" between the European Union, thencomposed of 15 Member States, and Algeria,Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco,Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the Palestinian Autho-rity, as well as Cyprus and Malta, which sincebecame Member States.The MEDA Program is the financial instrumentof this partnership. It was allocated 5,350 MEuros over the 2000-2006 period.The Ministerial Conference of Marseilles (25-26 November 1996) specified the objec-tives of the partnership and the Euro-Mediter-ranean Conference on Local Water Manage-ment of Turin (18-19 October 1999) specifiedthe content of the MEDA-WATER Program andits Action Plan, which retained:Six priority fields for action:¶ integrated management of drinking

water supply and sanitation utilities,· local management of water resour-

ces and demands in river basins andislands,

¸ management of water scarcity andfight against droughts,

¹ water management for irrigation,º use of non-conventional water re-

sources,» preparation of national and local

scenarios for sustainable watermanagement.

Four cross topics:¶ institutional capacity building and

training,· exchange of knowledge and infor-

mation,¸ transfer of know-how and techno-

logy,¹ awareness, mobilization and promo-

tion of the population’s commit-ment.

After the call for proposals of July 2002, theEuropean Commission selected nine MEDA-WATER projects:u Six devoted to "drinking water supply,

sanitation and wastewater treatment uti-lities",

u Two devoted to "water management forirrigation",

u One devoted to "water management incase of water scarcity and fight againstdroughts".

These projects started their activities in 2003,for a 3 to 4-year duration. They gather 25 partners in the Northern basinand 27 in the South. In autumn 2004, the European Commissionlaunched an invitation to tender for the esta-blishment of a "Regional Monitoring andSupervision Unit - RMSU-MEDA Water",responsible for monitoring, collecting anddisseminating the results obtained by the nineMEDA-WATER projects.The Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), theInternational Office for Water (IOWater)and the Finnish Environmental Institute (SYKE)constituted a group, which successfullywinned this bid.IOWater contributesto the group by secon-ding the deputy to theRMSU project leader,the Webmaster aswell as an expert moreparticularly in chargeof "integrated waterresources manage-ment". The RMSU began itsactivities in October2005 for a 30-monthperiod.The project "portfolio"was "extended" toEMWIS (Euro-Medi-terranean Water In-formation System).

In a general way, the RMSU project assists theDelegation of the European Commission inJordan in its activities related to the "MEDA-WATER" Program and facilitates its relationswith the projects.For instance, two training courses, on theestablishment of logical frameworks and thebenchmarking of projects, were carried out inAmman and Marseilles in 2006. Two sectoral workshops were organized:m in Amman - Jordan, on wastewater reuse,m in Zahle - Lebanon, on the institutional

aspects of integrated water resourcesmanagement in the irrigation sector.

4

www.medawater-rmsu.org

MEDA-Water RMSU - MEDA-Water: Monitoring of the Program

Large projectTHE MEDITERRANEAN


FIRST CONFERENCEOF THE "MEDA-Water"

PARTNERSAmman - Jordan - 15-16 April 2007


24

SEMIDEE M W I SE M W I S


THE MEDITERRANEAN

During their Rome conference in November2005, the 35 Euro-Mediterranean WaterDirectors, under the impulse of the newPresident of the Steering Committee, PascalBerteaud, noted a positive progress inEMWIS (Euro-Mediterranean InformationSystem on Know-how in the Water Sector)activities and wished to continue its imple-mentation, by formulating a series of recom-mendations to strengthen the transfers ofknow-how between the Mediterranean Part-ner Countries (MPCs).EMWIS is now recognized as being an effec-tive vector for knowledge transfer betweenthe two shores of the Mediterranean, thanksto its wide dissemination capacity and institu-tional presence in all the Mediterraneancountries. Four vertical topics, associated withoperational objectives, were defined forthe 2007-2010 period: ¶ Participative approaches in Integrated

Water Resources Management; · Prevention and management of risks

related to extreme phenomena, especiallydroughts and floods;

¸ Non-conventional water resources,with two sub-topics: desalination andwastewater reuse;

¹ Local management of sanitationutilities and the prevention of domesticpollution.

For each topic, the objective is to promotemethodological comparisons, transfers ofknow-how and field applications in the part-ners countries.

The work initiated about the EuropeanWater Framework Directive (WFD) byway of an enquiry involving the Water Direc-torates and working groups of the EuropeanWater Initiative Joint Process (MED-EUWI),shows the interest of the Countries and thevalue of the support provided by EMWIS(technical platform, contacts in the countries,institutional support).Creation of National Water InformationSystemsThese National Water Information Sys-tems (NWIS) are essential tools for deci-sion-making, for sustainable manage-ment of the resource and for the follow-up of national policies. At the regional level, the NWIS are indispen-sable tools for convergence, consistency or fol-low-up of the main water-related initiatives:Millennium Development Goals onWater and Sanitation, the "Water"Component of the MediterraneanStrategy for Sustainable Develop-ment, the European Union Neigh-borhood Policy Agreements or theProgram, up to 2020, for pollutionremoval in the Mediterranean Sea.The feasibility studies, carried outby EMWIS in 2005, showed theneed for helping the Southerncountries in creating or developingtheir NWIS.New EMWIS website Based on an innovating technical architecture,the new international Website of EMWIS is aunique tool for disseminating information be-tween the Euro-Med countries, especially forbetter information on the European initiatives

and programs and for promoting dia-logue and exchanges between all thecountries. It offers a multilingual content inEnglish, Arabic and French, conti-nuously enriched: monthly electronicflash (8,000 subscribers), currentevents, database on international pro-jects, multilingual specialized the-saurus, topical directory ("who doeswhat"), regional initiatives and pro-grams, documents, international andnational legislation, institutional struc-ture of the countries, etc.

This new platform improves information flowswith the various National Water InformationSystems. Towards a regional water observationmechanismThe Water Directors launched preliminary fea-sibility studies for the implementation of a re-gional water observation mechanism, follow-ing up the progress made towards the Millen-nium Goals and the objectives of the "water"component of the Mediterranean Strategy forSustainable Development, in coordinationwith the monitoring working group of theEuropean Water Initiative for the Mediter-ranean (MED-EUWI) and with the EuropeanEnvironment Agency.

Conference of the 35 Water Directors of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership

The Forum of the Euro-Med Water Directors,initiated by EMWIS, has appeared as themost appropriate body to initiate, validate,coordinate, direct or evaluate the variousinternational water initiatives in the Mediter-ranean: MED-EUWI, MEDA-Water, the UnitedNations Mediterranean Action Plan, etc. It met again on 6 and 7 November 2006 inGreece, country coordinating the Mediter-ranean Component of the MED-EUWI Initia-tive. The Directors insisted again on a quicklaunching of the 2007-2010 program ofEMWIS.4

www.emwis.net

EMWIS: Orientations for 2006-2010

Large project

The Forum of the Euro-Med Water Directorsin Athens - November 2006


25

THE MEDITERRANEAN

The News N° 14

Since the decentralization law, the largestMoroccan cities have become responsible fortheir water and electricity utilities and dele-gated management has been possible sincethe law of 1990. Today, 17 Moroccan Au-tonomous Public Corporations supply waterto the largest cities: 4 are concessions (LYDECin Casablanca, REDAL in Rabat, andAMENDIS in Tanger and Tétouan), and 13 aremunicipal autonomous public bodies (Fez,Marrakech, Mekhnès, Kenitra, El Jadida,Larache, Safi, Agadir, Settat, Nador, Beni Mel-lal, Oujda, and Taza). Fourteen also deal withsanitation. The other cities are hesitating between directmunicipal management and "contractual"management entrusted to ONEP. From now on, ONEP is also responsible forthe contractual management of sanitation onthe entire Moroccan territory, outside the 17 Autonomous Public Corporations.The 13 not conceded Autonomous Public Cor-porations are thinking about their future asregards the supply of drinking water and elec-tricity.

Financed by the European Investment Bank(EIB) and supported by the German FederalOrganization for continuing training InWEnt,they are preparing a training program for theirexecutives.IOWater was involved in this project by theConsulting Firm Montgomery Watson &Harza. Spread over 18 months, the proposedtraining program would focus on the acquisi-tion of the most modern techniques for com-pany organization and financial manage-ment. It would address 75 managers andsenior executive of the 13 Autonomous PublicCorporations, who would benefit from 15 to30 training days. The reference topics are:"company strategy and organization", "deve-lopment plan", "personal efficiency", "efficien-cy in specialized jobs". The 156 members ofthe Corporations’ Boards of Directors couldalso benefit from a 2-day training on the"Governance of Corporations".The IOWater and MW&H experts have deve-loped these topics and drawn up proposalsfor the practical organization of this trainingprogram. 4


Morocco The Autonomous Public Corporations strengthen their management

"INECO"Developing future institutional and economic instruments for sustainable water managementin the Mediterranean region"INECO" (INstitutional and ECOnomicInstruments for Sustainable Water Mana-gement in the Mediterranean Region) is aconsortium, gathering the stakeholdersinvolved in water management and utili-ties and coming from the entire Basin(Maghreb, Machrek), and aims at analy-zing the decision-making practices. Launched in July 2006, it consists in aseries of coordinated actions for:l Promoting the exchange of the

best practices, between the institu-tions participating in the project, withregard to the role of institutional andeconomic instruments in sustainableand effective water management (pri-cing tools, water markets, incentivemeasures, etc.);

l Increasing synergies, by organizingworkshops of exchanges on manage-ment processes (systems for the autho-rization of abstractions, managementof irrigated areas, etc.) and validatingalternative policies for better demandmanagement;

l Promoting North-South exchangeson institutional and economic know-how (especially on the application ofthe WFD principles).

IOWater will more particularly deal with:u the analysis of the current practices

used by developed countries in aridzones (Australia, South-West of theUSA, Israel, Chile, Argentina, Brazil),other than EU Member States,

u the role of women in integrated waterresources management in the Mediter-ranean countries,

u the organization of workshops andexchange activities, in coordinationwith the International Network ofBasin Organizations (INBO).

4

The Moroccan National Office for Drinking Wa-ter Supply (ONEP) is extending its activities tosanitation after having been mostly involved indrinking water supply for decades. ONEP decided to implement an Up-gradingand Training Program (UTP) on sanitation,addressing executives and technicians. GKW,operator of the German Cooperation (KFW),which finances the project, requested assis-tance from IOWater with the drafting of thisUTP.The IOWater work started in March 2006,after some evaluation and planning assign-ments. A detailed audit of the sanitation sectorwas carried out in Rabat or in several Regionaland Provincial Directorates, regarding the staff(evaluation of skills) and operation (monito-ring, reporting, etc.). It led to a draft training plan and to sugges-tions on the improvement of their operation.

Various actions came to support the audit,including the training of trainers, the on-site"coaching" of some trainers, the intervention ofa technical expert and a seminar on the orga-nization of sanitation operational bodies.4

ONEP: Training and up-grading program on sanitation

Building site of the sanitation systemin Essaouira



THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Algerian Financial Law of July 2005 en-trusted the River Basin Agencies (ABHs) withthe levy of taxes for the direct use of waterresources from the "Public Water Domain". It aims at inciting the water users to bettermanage the water withdrawn from the naturalenvironments, by making them pay a use costby way of this tax on abstractions.IOWater, in collaboration with the Seine-Nor-mandy Water Agency, supported the "ABHs"within the French-Algerian cooperation pro-gram financed by the French Ministry forForeign Affairs, as the development of thisnew financially incentive tool requires anadaptation of the organization and a quickcapacity building of the "ABHs".

The support missions carried out in 2006focused on: n the definition of a strategy and precise

timetable for starting the system; n assistance with the development of an

Access application software for the issueand follow-up of the "tax invoices";

n the development of communication withthe users;

n the control and follow-up of meters; n the evolution of the system to make it an

economic tool for better quantitativewater management.

This action is essential for the River BasinAgencies, because part of the levied tax,excluding the cost of its recovery, could beused to finance actions, such as planning, thedevelopment of integrated water resourcesmanagement, users’ awareness on watersaving, but also the financing of measures topromote recycling, the fight against wastage,etc.4

AlgeriaThe River Basin Agencies (ABHs) levy a tax on "water abstractions"

Cooperation with the "Algérienne Des Eaux"(ADE)Within the bilateral cooperation between theAlgerian Ministry of Water Resources andthe French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, va-rious technical assistance and training activi-ties were entrusted to the InternationalOffice for Water and carried out at the"Algérienne des Eaux". The 2006 program identified the threefollowing components: l human resources management, l training of trainers,l technical training courses, meeting

the current "ADE" needs related to theexploitation of units for the desalinationof sea waters, the improvement of theyields of water supply networks and theautomation of pumping stations.

Eighty "ADE" executives, coming from thevarious Regional Agencies covering theentire country, were trained on human

resources management, especially on mo-dern processes for the assessment of trainingneeds, the drafting of training plans, theanalysis of the operational organization ofthe services, the preparation of job descrip-tion sheets, as well as the yearly evaluationof the staffs. The training of trainers aimed to prepare thenew teams of "ADE" inside trainers to theirnew assignments and to define the futureoffer, which will be developed in the "ADE"Training Centers. The activities carried out by IOWater fit inwith the "Algérienne des Eaux" strategy,which aims at improving professional skills,while supporting the emergence of newdynamics in the management of the jobsand careers of its staff.4

Creation of the "ADE"Training Center at CherarbaThe "Algérienne des Eaux" (ADE), created byDecree in 2001, has integrated the former"EPEs" (Public water institutions). It is in such a context, that the decision wasmade to create an important Training Centerfor Water Professions (CFME) in Algiers, tomeet a capacity building strategy and homo-genization of the professional skills of theagents of the sector.The implementation of this project benefitsfrom a significant financial support, approxi-mately 2.7 million euros, provided by theBelgian Technical Cooperation (BTC). For preparing invitations to tender for thebuilding of this new center, the Algerian-Belgian Committee in charge of this projectcalled upon the experience of the Interna-tional Office for Water for expertise/adviceassignments and upon the services of anAlgerian architectural Consulting Firm (Eurl -Baus) playing the part of project manager.

IOWater prepared the Preliminary (APS) andDetailed (APD) project designs for the defini-tion of the architectural and technical specifi-cations for the buildings and educationalinfrastructures. The options chosen, at the architectural andtechnical levels, show the ADE’s will to im-pulse new dynamics for the future and tomeet Algerian current and future needs.The building of the center started during thelast quarter of 2006 to be completed in 2007on the Cherarba site in Algiers.

4

Architectural draft of the Training Center


Large project

27

THE MEDITERRANEAN

Information: Fax: +33 (0) 4 93 65 44 02 - E-mail: [email protected] News N° 14

Implementation of the "UWW"DirectiveThe French Embassy in Turkey is helping theTurkish Ministry of the Environment to pre-pare the implementation of the EuropeanDirective on urban wastewater, known as"UWW Directive". In June 2006, about twenty top executives ofthe Turkish ministries (environment, agricul-ture, health, tourism, planning) and nationalinstitutions: DSI (State Hydraulic Works) andIller Bank (Bank of the Provinces, organizationadvising the medium-sized Turkish cities), aswell as representatives of six local authoritiesand a representative of the Mayors’ Associa-tion gathered at the Turkish Water Directorateto participate in a workshop, in which twoIOWater experts, specialists in the manage-ment of urban wastewater and local authori-ties, were facilitators. The workshop included plenary sessions andbilateral meetings with each group of partici-pants. The latter allowed to go further onissues specific to each one. Coaching was the methodology chosenby IOWater.Among the main topics dealt with, there werethe establishment of sensitive zones, the de-termination of sanitation areas in cities andthe treatment of sludge resulting from waste-water treatment. One of the main conclusions was the wish fororganizing this kind of workshop in the Tur-kish Provinces, under the supervision of theMinistry of the Environment.4

TurkeyA twinning on water and the protection of public health The purpose of this twinning, in line with theprocess of Turkey’s accession to the EuropeanUnion, is to provide support to the Ministry ofHealth in its harmonization of Turkish legisla-tion with the European Water Directives rela-ted to the protection of public health and theirimplementation.The objectives of this twinning agreement,led by the French partnership between theMinistry of Ecology and Sustainable Develop-ment and the Ministry of Health, with theassistance of IOWater as operator, are:u the institutional organization, the

development of strategies and pro-cesses for the monitoring, conserva-tion or restoration of the quality ofbathing waters, drinking water and mine-ral waters;

u the management of data and infor-mation systems;

u the updating of protocols for monito-ring, sampling and analyses;

u the drafting of national directives, todeal with incidents on water quality thatare a risk to public health;

u the measures to be taken to ensure waterquality and develop thepotential market of mi-neral waters and bottledwaters;

u the updating of the proce-dures and testing methodsfor the approval of sub-stances and materials incontact with water.

The Twinning started in June2006 with the arrival in Ankaraof the long-term expert comingfrom the Loire-Brittany WaterAgency. Experts from the twoFrench ministries of Health andEcology and qualified water-related organizations (IOWater, BRGM,AFSSA, Water Agencies, laboratories) willparticipate in the various components of thistwinning.

The first missions took place in July 2006 andfocused on the characterization of bathingwaters, the laboratories dealing with bacte-riological analysis, and the overall monitoringof drinking waters. Others are continuing, from September on-wards, on the information systems, legal andregulatory aspects, on public information,quality control processes and the accredita-tion of laboratories.All this should up-grade practices and intro-duce the last developments in the concernedsectors as regards the methods for monitoringdrinking water and bathing waters, especiallythe new Directive on Bathing Waters(2006/7/EC). The Turkish departments concerned are thoseof the Ministries of Health, Agricultural andRural Affairs, the Environment and Forestry,Culture and Tourism and the Interior. The project will continue until November2007.4

Steering Committee of the "Water and Health"twinning in Ankara


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The News N° 14 - December 2006Publishing Director: Christiane RUNEL - N° ISSN: 0769-1995D

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