Training Workshops and Water Leadership
Some of our WWGI members can conduct training workshops for governments, public/municipal servants, engineers, architects, landscaper, designers and all parties interested in learning either considerations for implementing constructed wetlands as wastewater treatment and drainage plants (WTPs), or be trained in the design, construction and maintenance of constructed wetlands WTP systems.
We also provide a condensed 1h30 minutes minimum module (“Water Leadership Training”) that is principally aimed at decision makers, public policy agents, architects, engineers and landscapers, school children and all interested parties who are not familiar with or don’t have much time to study the field of sanitation and the existing options of wastewater treatments, with their respective economical, ecological and social implications. The workshop includes an overview of biospheric fundamentals and a presentation of sanitation options, including an economical comparison between cost of conventional/high-energy-consumption compact systems and ecologically beneficial passive systems (Nature-Based Solutions NBS).
For customized trainings, integration in your curriculum, prices and/or availability, please contact us “fc at ecotechnics.edu” and “nelson at biospheres.com”.
Examples of Training Workshops:
Algeria
We led an intensive 3-days workshop for governmental officials, engineers, architects and construction managers in Temacine Algeria – At the request of and funded by Association SHAMS, the Algerian Ministry of Water / Department of Health and Environmental Protection (MRE/DAPE), with the support of the the Belgian Development Agency to develop new integrated water resources management practices (Programme de Coopération Algéro-Belge ALG0500711, GIRE algérois) and the Municipality of Témacine, Touggourt, Algeria.
This training took place in parallel to the study and implementation of a 400m2 pilot WWG municipal sewage water treatment plant for 15m3/day of organic sewage water (equivalent of 100-150 persons +/-), both black and grey waters, coming from local habitants in the site of the millenary Old Ksar of Témacine.
Indonesia
We led and are preparing several upcoming full training workshops; a recent in-depth update led I Gede Sugiartha being the latest STP designer and construction supervisor joining WWGI certified member ; we are grateful as he is doing wonderful work throughout his native Indonesia and the S.E. Asia region, including designing systems in challenging environments such as densely urban or coastal settings with no land available, never forgetting that function needs to adapt to the local environment and can go with strong aesthetics integration and valorisation.
Irak – “EDEN IN IRAK”
Initiated by Nature Iraq (NI) (http://www.natureiraq.org/waterkeepers-iraq.html, a local organization set-up to preserve important ecological regions and distinctive cultures in Iraq and creator of the Mesopotamian National Park, the first National Park in Iraq, to protect these marshes and the Marsh Arab culture, among the oldest in the world), WWGI was invited to design and build a treatment plant.
The brief was to treat the wastewater of two Marsh Arab towns with populations from 15-45,000 people (Al Manar and Al Fuhud) and to offer a framework workshop in constructed wetlands technology for local engineers and scientists from the Iraqi Ministries of Water Resources, Environment and the Protection of Iraqi Wetlands, as well as for staff of the Commission for the Protection of the Iraqi marshes.
Through a collaboration with artist and Professor Prof. Meridel Rubenstein of the Nanying Technical University of Singapore, the treatment plant integrates symbolic, historical and artistic elements, “Restoring Eden” (www.meridelrubenstein.com/eden-in-iraq; https://edeniniraq.com).
The completion of the 1st stage has taken place in 2023, no more raw sewage in the marshlands, for 2000 m3/day; funds are currently being raised for completion of secondary treatment and reuse of the treated water.
Note: These marshes were turned into desert in the 1990s when in punishment for an uprising against the government, diversion canals 800 km long, sent the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the west. Since 2003, the diversion canals have been ruptured by local Marsh Arabs, and now over half the original marshlands, an important migratory bird habitat, has been restored. Up to half a million Marsh Arabs who were forced to leave are now returning to the region.
Please see https://wastewatergardens.com/projects/iraq/ for further information.
(Photos of the workshop given in el-Chibaish)
Pakistan
At the initiative of HANDS Pakistan, we were invited to train and provide a 10-days design and construction workshop with a follow-up and retraining one year later, to find solutions for “end of the pipe” septic outflows via constructed wetlands, water ponds in saline and non-saline environments and permaculture techniques to solve problems about farming and malnutrition.
Partial list of “Water Leadership” seminars:
MOROCCO – AFRICITIES 2018, Marrakech
Pan-African meeting held every 3 years between public-servants of municipalities of every African country to share experience, keep updated and informed about evolutions in Education, Sanitation, Architecture/Urbanisation, Public Health, etc.
2018 edition: “The Transition to Sustainable Cities and Territories, The Role of Local and Sub-National Governments of Africa”.
We gave two keynote seminars on sustainable sanitation (Sanitation for sustainable Water Governance). Sessions: “Local Strategies for access
to Water and Sanitation to all” (ST9) and “The Blue Gold in Africa’ (SOU82), 20-24 November 2018.
SINGAPORE
– “Value, cycle and options of sewage treatment for sustainable urbanization and development: shift of paradigm and good practice in the integration of the water cycle in architecture and landscaping for long term ecological and economical resilience”.
For the National University of Singapore (NUS), School of Design & Environment, Ph. D. students, Singapore, 12 November 2014.
– “Sustainable water management: current situation and Plea for Intelligence, wisdom and good governance - Overview of the values, cycles and options of sewage treatment and Management for sustainable urbanism and development”, First Toa Payoh Primary School, Cicada Tree Eco-Place (www.cicadatree.org.sg), 6 avril 2013.
INDONESIA
– Gyaniar, Bali
“Sanitation Basic Principles – Overview of framework – Values, cycles and options of excreta and sewage effluent treatment from the perspective of practical health promotion, poverty alleviation, long term ecological and economical sustainability”, workshop, Yayasan IDEP (www.idepfoundation.org), 10 May 2013.
– Nusa Dua, Bali
“Water and Tourism in Bali: Water and Wastewater overview, challenges and solutions for good water stewardship”, Green Team Meeting by the Bali Hotel Association, 17 September 2012.
– Kuta, Bali
“Cycle, value and options of sewage treatment in urbanism and development with a special focus on constructed wetlands for sustainable sanitation”, seminar for the Bali Clean and Green Forum, at the co. initiative of the Governor of Bali, supported by the chief of Bali Environmental Agency (BLH-Bali), A.A.G.A. Sastrawan, Little Tree, “Ecologically Sustainable Solutions”, 20 April 2012.
– UDAYANA UNIVERSITY, Denpasar, Bali
“Natural Systems of Wastewater Recycle and Use”, Workshop on “A New Ecotechnic Approach to Wastewater Treatment”, May 2001
TURKEY – Antalya
“Seminar on Constructed Wetlands to treat Wastewater”, for the municipality and local businesses, 1 June 2012.
FRANCE – Paris
“To understand the cycle, the value and options of sewage treatment in urbanism and development”, training for architecture and urbanism firm ATSP (http://www.atsp.eu/), 2 July, NGO Pro-Natura International (http:www.pronatura.org), July 2010. Introduction to ETIMOS France and CONJUNTO PALMEIRAS Brazil (http://www.bancopalmas.org.br)
MALDIVES ISLANDS
– Male’
“Understanding the value and use of nutrients in sewage water: Constructed Wetlands for economical and ecological applications in the field of private and public sanitation”, presentation for “21st Century Innovations in Green Technology: Application to the Maldives” and public company MWSC (Malé Water and Sewerage Company); training recipient including the former President, 5 May 2009.
– Maroshi (North Miladhunmadulhu Atoll – Shaviani Atoll, Al-Madhrasathul Munavvara) and Guraidhoo (Kaafu Atoll)
“Basic Ecology, understanding Sewage, the value and use of nutrients and the principal steps of sanitation”, municipal schools, May and July 2009.
UNITED KINGDOM – London
“Constructed Wetlands: Re-integration of the water-cycle in the design and construction phases of urban development”, for architecture and urbanism firm Penoyre & Prasad LLP, 20 February 2009.
SPAIN – Sevilla
« Sewage water treatment in small communities » for the II International Congress SmallWAT07, Center of New Water Technologies (Centro de las Nuevas Tecnologías del Agua – CENTA), Ministry of Environment, November 2007.
AUSTRALIA
– «Worldwide Applications of Wastewater Gardens and Ecoscaping: Decentralised Systems which Transform Sewage from Problem to Productive, Sustainable Resource», for Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems, Murdoch University, Fremantle, W.A., Australia, Environmental Technology Centre, July 2006.
– “Effective Approaches for Environmental & Wastewater Management and Training – The Birdwood Downs Case Studies in the Kimberley Region of West Australia”, for Sustainability of Indigenous Communities, Murdoch University, Fremantle, W.A., Australia, Environmental Technology Centre, July 2006.
– «New Paradigms: Wastewater Garden, creating urban oases and greenbelts by productive use of the nutrients and water in domestic sewage», for Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Environmental Technology Centre, Murdoch University, Perth, April 2002.
POLAND – Kraków
International, practical workshop: “Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment, wetlands conservation and water recycling”, 25-27 October 2005
MOROCCO – Ifrane
“Natural Systems for Wastewater Treatment and Water Recycling: Wastewater Gardens as applicability to the Middle-Atlas region of Ifrane”, UNIVERSITY AL AKHAWAYN, May 2004.
PHILIPPINES – Manila
“Biosphere 2 and the Ecological Engineering Design Paradigm”, Workshop on “Environmental Conservation”, UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, May 2001.
JAPAN
– Nagoya: «Design Paradigm for the 21st Century”, for NAGOYA URBAN INSTITUTE, Forum 2000, January 2000.
– Tokyo: “Design Paradigm for the 21st Century”, for the HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN INITIATIVE, January 2000.