http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=114971#axzz0oFH7Khts
Tuesday, May 18, 2010

BEIRUT: Italian and Lebanese municipal officials held a “water day” recently to improve water resource management in south Lebanon.

President of the Union of Municipalities of Shkif Samih Hallal, director of Support to the South Lebanon Water Establishment (SLWE) Ahmad Nizam and representatives of Italian NGO CISP held the water day at the Hassan Kamel al-Sabbah in Nabatiyeh.

The water day is part of a $473,835 project by CISP aimed at boosting the management of drinking water in south Lebanon. The project is being funded by Italy within the framework of its ROSS Emergency Program. The initiative hopes to improve water resources management and delivery services through the rehabilitation of existing water supply stations and networks. It also aims to strengthen water governance capacity of the SLWE in Nabatiyeh and Tyre.

The ROSS Emergency Program was established and funded by Italy after the 2006 war on Lebanon and is currently in its third and final phase. Its main objective is to aid in to the rehabilitation and reinforcement of basic services aiming at upgrading socioeconomic conditions through a process of local development in general and emphasizing on promoting environment conservation and gender equality.