Water Research, Consultations & Testing in Support of Development and Policy Formulation By Muhammad Saidam, PhD

Objective of Presentation To give a snapshot impression of RSS focusing on water-related activities 2WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

From RSS Fact Sheet RSS is the largest applied research institution, consultancy, & technical support service provider in Jordan. Is a forty years old NGO, –Non-profit - self-sustaining - financially independent. Has over 25 specialized locally & internationally accredited labs. –Water quality and device efficiency – food – construction materials, electrical devices - calibration …Conducted about 28,000 tests in Area of RSS campus is 340,000 squared meters. Has more than 500, technical staff, highly skilled management, support staff and faculty. 3 PhD (6%) MSc (23%) BSc (71%) WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

4 An Organizational Overview Research, Consultation, & Projects Scientific Analysis Public Health & Safety Scientific Analysis Public Health & Safety Calibration, Conformity, & Engineering Maintenance Calibration, Conformity, & Engineering Maintenance Public Awareness, Training, Enterprise Creation, & Social Development Public Awareness, Training, Enterprise Creation, & Social Development Energy, Water and Environment (EWE) Industrial & Economic Consultation (IEC) Construction & Urban Planning (CUP) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Development

RSS Roadmap ( ) - Thematic Areas Resource efficiency Water & energy optimization systems Quality assurance ICT & materials in buildings Science to Society Policy advice in STI & development Green Innovations Clean energy and green buildings 5WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

6 Real-time Water Quality Monitoring at RSS Concept & Goal Concept : –Continuous & automated: on-site sampling & analysis, data acquisition, storage and dissemination in one system in real-time. Goals : –Facilitating decision making in the water and environment sectors –trace trends over time and space –Share data; local, regional and international WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

The Real-time Monitoring System 7 WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

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WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan Goals of EMARCU Water Quality Monitoring System Provide a data collection platform Help improve decision making in the water & environment sectors Promote data sharing

Real-time On-line Dataflow Water Quality Data Platform RTMS Research Centers… etc Governmental Labs Decision makers Ministries: Water, Env, Agri, Health Research & Academia Others: Engineering consultants, the public etc WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan201312

13 Characteristics of the RTMS System  State-of-the-art technology  Real-time: enabling timely decisions –  Accurate: as human errors are minimized  Impartial: records can ’ t be changed  Long-term: data stored in a database  Forms a basis for other environmental applications: e.g. air & soil pollution monitoring WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

14 Potential Users of RTMS Decision makers:  MOE: Enforcing environmental regulations  MWI: in employing integrated water management  MOA: managing agricultural water quality  MOH: public health protection Planners:  Long-term planning  Emergency  For an Early warning System  Security Water utility managers: e.g. Zai WTP – Miyahouna Water Company Engineering consultants: feasibility and design studies Farmers: management of salinity & use of fertilizers Academics & Researchers: The public: transparency and confidence building WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan2013

15 Project’s Managing Board Headed by the Minister of Envi. & membership of : ■ President of the RSS ■ S.G. of the HCST ■ S.G. of the Ministry of Envi. ■ S.G. of the Ministry of Health ■ S.G. of the MWI ■ S.G. of the Ministry of Agri. ■ S.G. of the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources

RSS & Current WMO-SDC project RSS actively involved in the Strategic Foresight Group Blue Peace - Water Security in the Middle East initiative since 2009 –Attending regional workshops in Geneva (2010), Turkey (2011) Under the chairmanship of HRH Prince El-Hassan bin Talal, RSS hosted the SFG-SDC meeting in April –A High Level Group, headed by HRH, on regional water cooperation was launched after the meeting to follow up on water issues in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. –Former Turkish Foreign Minister, Yasar Yakis and ex-finance minister Mohammad Shatah members of the HLG. –RSS was named as the regional coordinator and the Technical Secretariat for the initiative. RSS can have a technical role in the project by virtue of its 12 years experience in water telemetry monitoring systems WMO-SDC meeting_ Jan201316

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