The MEDWAYCAP National Workshop, organized by the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) in June, represented another step towards building a more solid understanding of best practices for Non-Conventional Water Resources (NCWR) and sharing knowledge and ideas on successful business models to foster a circular economy and green growth at the local level.
Held on June 20, 2023, at Villa Arrigo in Naxxar, the event brought together a range of local water management experts and stakeholders from academia, local authorities, regulators, and technical operators. The primary objectives were to discuss current bottlenecks and solutions for capitalizing on NCWR best practices in the agriculture and domestic sectors, and to explore potential financial tools available to support the upscaling of appropriate technologies for the development of further innovative projects.
Throughout the day, various presentations and open interactive debates highlighted the benefits of implementing NCWR best practices in the Mediterranean context, providing an opportunity to develop the economy of local communities (start-ups, small enterprises) by boosting green jobs and green transition processes. Moreover, most water technicians and experts emphasized the important link between investments in NCWR solutions and achieving water security and safety, especially considering the adoption of small-scale installations for greywater reuse in households.
Furthermore, the workshop provided an opportunity to present the initial framework proposal for the adoption of greywater reuse at a decentralized scale within the Maltese islands, which was based on best practices identified through MEDWAYCAP.
Financed by the ENI-CBC MED Programme, the MEDWAYCAP project aims to contribute to mitigating the common challenge of the local water crisis in the Mediterranean by facilitating general access to and promotion of NCWR best practices, such as treated wastewater and greywater reuse systems, and by transferring knowledge on NCWR techniques, management, and skills to decision-makers to be applied at the territorial level for domestic and agricultural purposes.
For further information, visit: https://www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/medwaycap