End of a 3-year training plan for ONAS (Tunisia)
As part of a three-year programme to strengthen the skills of the ONAS (Tunisian National Sanitation Office), financed by the SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) and the KfW (German development bank), technicians came to Limoges and La Souterraine in early December to complete their training at OiEau's Centre de Formation aux Métiers de l'Eau (CFME).
This programme, which took place over two years in Tunisia, with OiEau trainers travelling to the country, and one year in France, with Tunisian technicians visiting, involved nearly 200 learners and 15 CFME trainers in 3 courses: Laboratory/ Maintenance/ Automation.
This increase in skills was accompanied by assessments, which led to the selection of six people (2 per course) to become trainers and internal referents for ONAS in Tunisia.
These are the two future specialists in laboratory techniques applied to wastewater treatment who have just completed these training sessions at the CFME.
Significant mobilisation
ONAS trainees
OiEau instructors involved
topics
years of cooperation
Responsible for water treatment plants, Marouane and Ibrahim came to the CFME six times during 2024 to attend courses on various aspects of wastewater and microbiology analysis.
Both appreciated the content of the training courses, which were completely in line with their expectations and needs, and the experience of the OiEau trainers.
A strong point for them was the practical application of the teaching received with, for example, water sampling followed by microscopic observations, which enabled them to put themselves in real working conditions.
The discovery of microscopic observations was particularly appreciated because in Tunisia, this technique is still not very widespread, even though it enables a clear improvement in diagnoses and the correction of malfunctions.
For these 2 technicians, the task now is to pass on the knowledge they have acquired, in order to improve the operation of the facilities and ensure that water discharges are compatible with the quality standards in force.
REUSE and biogas, two hot topics in Tunisia
As in all parts of the world, climate change has been causing water stress in Tunisia for several years now. Legislation has just changed, with texts recommending the reuse of treated water.
This country is also keen to diversify its energy sources, in particular by using biogas produced by anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. This is an area that has become a government strategy, with several digesters under construction and due to come on stream very soon. And the training received in Limoges on this subject will be very useful to the two technicians. In fact, this is an emerging technique in Tunisia, and the training they received will help them to master it.