Skill improvement for urban water practitioners and technicians

Introduction:

The use of technologies for water supply and treatment as well as the qualification of specialized personnel in this sector are subject to a variant of standards worldwide, as are education and training in these areas. In many countries, a large proportion of non-industrial sewage flows untreated into rivers, lakes, and seas. In regions with inadequate technical education in the water supply and treatment sector, even simple water supply and treatment utilities cannot be properly planned. Therefore maintenance of existing plants and equipment couldn’t be ensured and their performance may not be precisely optimized. High water losses during transportation as well as deficiencies in treatment cannot be rectified and may affect the economy and the health of the local societies. In view of these challenges, access to technical education in the water and wastewater sector provides important leverage for improving and securing the quality of water supply and wastewater disposal in a sustainable manner. Hence, technicians must be equipped with basic skills, technical knowledge, and local expertise.

Objective/ Motivation:

This project focuses on future-oriented water technology, considering local needs and capabilities. Vocational Training (VT) is a critical success factor for the future-oriented development of sustainable water management. RCUWM in close cooperation with universities and international experts from interested Governing Board (GB) member states intends to develop VT courses that promote practical, activity-oriented learning on water supply and wastewater treatment processes.

Scope and Target Groups:

Major target groups for this project are technicians involved in construction, operation, and maintenance sectors from GB member states including hydraulic technicians, wastewater treatment technicians, and specialists for pipe, sewer, and industrial services. An estimated 60 partially sponsored participants will be invited to VT courses in the following fields: Leakage detection and repair methods, Pipeline repairing processes, installing water splits, Water quality sampling, and Installing wastewater splits.

Outline of Activities:

In order to improve technicians’ knowledge, this project has two main elements:

  1. Conducting VT training courses and capacity buildings
  2. Organizing an international professional competition for specialists in water and wastewater engineering.

 

Expected Outcomes:

  • Improved knowledge of technicians via organizing VT courses
  • Filled technical gaps among practitioners and technicians

 

  • Proposed Event 1: Improving the Reliability of Water Transfer Lines and Supply Network (depending on easing restriction for international travel)

Introduction

The reliability of a Water Distribution System (WDS) including water transfer lines and urban supply networks is an indicator of sustainable urban water management. It plays an important role in the design, operation, and proper maintenance planning. The reliability of water transfer lines and supply networks is classified as mechanical and hydraulic components. While mechanical reliability represents the capability of WDS to provide continuous and long-term operation with minimal repair, modification, and replacement of parts, hydraulic reliability is the ability to deliver water to individual consumers in the required quantity and under satisfactory pressure. The role of pipelines in the supply network is an important issue for comprehensive urban water supply management. More than 60 percent of the cost of an urban water supply system belongs to the pipeline networks. Therefore, the reliability analysis of water transfer lines and distribution networks is an important issue.

Ration and Motivation

Providing sufficient water of appropriate quality and quantity is the most important issue for urban water managers. The water distribution system plays a vital role in preserving and providing a desirable life quality to the public, of which the reliability of supply is a major component.

In this ratio, UNESCO Regional Centre on Urban Water Management (RCUWM) intends to organize the Training Workshop on “Improving the Reliability of Water Transfer Lines and Supply Network” as approved during the 10th RCUWM Governing Board Meeting (GBM) on 5 December 2019 as part of the project proposal No. 7 on Skill Improvement for Urban Water Practitioners and Technicians. Understanding theoretical and practical backgrounds, sharing best practices, and know-how for increasing the lifetime of WDS with minimum operation and maintenance costs are the main objectives of this training workshop.

Date and Venue

The workshop will be held either in Tehran or Kashan (a historical city in the Isfahan Province and about 250 km south of Tehran) of Iran. The workshop is planned to be organized in 2023.

 

Tentative Agenda

It would be a three-day training workshop consisting of a one-day discussion based on the hydraulic and mechanical components of reliability of water transfer lines and supply network followed by a two-day technical tour of manufacturing and supplying pipes site for a better understating of the pipe production process as well as material characteristics.

Participating Countries:

The main audiences will be decision-makers and practitioners in the public and private sectors dealing with water supply plans and projects. The number of participants is expected to be around 25 participants from the RCUWM governing board member states and organizations in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, Oman, Pakistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. Participation from other countries is also welcome upon receiving their interest.

Logistics Arrangements and Registration

All domestic costs in Iran including accommodation, local transportation to the venue and visiting sites, meals, technical and sightseeing tour/s will be covered by RCUWM and other supporting organizations during the period of the event while the participants are required to cover their international airfares as well as their visas to travel to Iran. RCUWM will facilitate the visa-issuing process by providing invitation letters. UNESCO as well as interested sponsors may provide financial support to a few participants to cover their international flight tickets.

 

Proposed Event 2: New Technologies in Leak Detection and Non-Revenue Water and Regional Training Workshop (depending on easing restrictions for international travel)

Introduction:

In scarce countries such as Iran, maintaining valuable water resources is one of the most important measures in the field of water resources management. In this regard, an important and effective activity in water management networks and reducing water revenues without income are significant financial benefits and Blue has water for suppliers. In order to take measures related to the reduction of non-revenue water in Iran, it is necessary to have new knowledge and technologies in the field of related activities such as leak detection and leakage in transmission lines of distribution networks and water branches. Design and implement separate measurement areas or independent measurement areas (DMA) – subscriber meter management and data transmission systems – Network hydraulic modeling and intelligent management of distribution networks and new performance-based contracting (PBC)-based performance investment models.

 

Objectives/ Motivation:

  • Reduce water loss
  • Reduce permissible expenses without income
  • Improving the level of knowledge of experts
  • Familiarity with new and modern technologies in the world
  • Transfer of manufacturing technologies into the country
  • Transferring experiences gained in Iran to other countries in the region

Scope:

  • Applied Research
  • Training and capacity building
  • Developing and strengthening regional and international cooperation

Outline of Activities:

  • Holding a training course
  • Visiting new technologies in developed countries
  • Determining the relevant indices
  • Improvement of manufacturing technologies
  • Investigating the areas of bilateral cooperation with leading countries
  • Providing an investment platform in Iran

Expected Outcomes:

  • Familiarizing with new and up-to-date technologies in the world
  • Transferring manufacturing technologies into the country
  • Transferring experiences gained in Iran to other countries in the region