The theme of this year’s Ecological Construction and Innovation Days ‘Eco-Construction, the future revolution in the construction and public works sector’ proved a most befitting venue to showcase AQUACYCLE’s eco-innovative wastewater treatment system.

The display mounted by the International Center for Environmental Technologies of Tunis (CITET) in the AQUACYCLE Partnership, showcased the benefits that could be reaped from the project’s eco-innovative APOC system. The display highlighted the system’s ability to bring about improved sanitation management in decentralized areas in a highly cost-effective manner. To this effect, the display informed how the APOC system provides for an all-year-round reuse of treated domestic effluent that is safe for irrigation purposes, and permits the recovery of valuable substances from the treated wastewater such as fertilizer and biogas.

The main aim of the display was to convey why decentralized wastewater treatment systems provide a smart, green alternative solution for small to medium-sized rural communities. In addition to providing a cost-effective solution to address the impact of climate by augmenting conventional water resources, the APOC system sets a best practice example in relation to the transition to the Circular Economy. To this effect, the booth also showcased the design of a pilot demonstration unit of the wastewater treatment system. Its three components, i.e. an Anaerobic digester, Constructed wetlands and a Photocatalytic Oxidation driven solar raceway pond reactor are foreseen to be installed in the rural locality of Bent Saidane. The locality belongs to the Governorate of Zaghouan in the north-eastern part of Tunisia.

Organized under the patronage of the Minister of Equipment and Housing, Sara Al-Zafarani al-Zanzari, the event took place on 22 and 23 June 2022 at the International Convention Center of Tunis (CICT), which is the Headquarters of the Tunisian Federation of Industry and Commerce and Handicrafts (UTICA).

CITET’s booth was manned by Khitem Mensi, Safa Chaabane and Anis Ghattassi, who joined 25 exhibitors at the fair which attracted 2000 visitors.