This section aims to introduce each beneficiary, explain their sector, and describe their work within the framework of the project. Today, it is the turn of Khalid Fahd Draissi, from the Environment and Water Agency of Andalusia (AMAYA).
What is the Environment and Water Agency of Andalusia (AMAYA)?
The Environment and Water Agency of Andalusia (AMAYA) is an in-house body of the Regional Government of Andalusia responsible for implementing and managing public policies relating to the environment, water and sustainable development within the Autonomous Community of Andalusia (Spain).
Its core mission is to protect, conserve, restore and enhance the natural environment and water resources of the Andalusian territory through the delivery of programmes, plans and technical projects. Its responsibilities include the management of water and air quality, the conservation of biodiversity and natural areas, the prevention and control of forest fires, the sustainable development of the territory, and the provision of environmental information and data.
In the field of water management, AMAYA acts as a technical and operational body of the Regional Government of Andalusia, developing and implementing actions related to the entire water cycle. Broadly speaking, it is responsible for monitoring and controlling water quality, operating and maintaining hydraulic infrastructure, and applying measures aimed at ensuring efficient and sustainable water use compatible with environmental protection, particularly in a context of water scarcity such as that affecting Andalusia.
With regard to wastewater treatment, AMAYA performs management, technical support and oversight functions for treatment systems, ensuring the proper operation of wastewater treatment plants and compliance with the applicable environmental regulations. It also contributes to improving treatment processes and promoting the reuse of reclaimed water for various purposes, including agricultural, urban and environmental uses, thereby helping to reduce pressure on natural water resources.
In short, the Environment and Water Agency of Andalusia is a key body in translating environmental and water public policies into concrete actions, playing an essential role in sustainable water management and in the development of initiatives related to wastewater treatment and reuse.
How long have you been working at AMAYA, and what has been your career path and role within the organisation?
I joined AMAYA on 1 January 2023. Prior to that, I was a member of staff at the Centre for New Water Technologies (CENTA) from 1 April 2000 until 31 December 2022, when CENTA was dissolved and its staff were integrated into AMAYA.
During my first fourteen years at CENTA, I worked within a technology transfer programme in the field of water between Andalusia, Africa and the Middle East. I subsequently moved into the research area. Since 2023, I have been working in AMAYA’s Directorate for Water Management and Environmental Quality as a Senior Researcher.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
A large part of my professional career has been devoted to international cooperation, through a water-related technology transfer programme between Andalusia, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. For more than a decade, I worked in regions with semi-arid to arid climates, where water scarcity is particularly acute. After that stage of my career, I returned to the research field, focusing on the treatment, reclamation and reuse of wastewater for agricultural irrigation.
My professional experience has enabled me to understand first-hand the importance of restoring water quality after use so that it can be safely and efficiently reused. This process is only possible through ongoing research in the sector, which provides sustainable and effective solutions for water resource management.
Moreover, my work is a source of both personal and professional motivation. I find it especially rewarding to contribute to improving water management and to developing sustainable solutions that have a real impact in territories facing water constraints. This conviction is what drives my continued commitment to research and cooperation in the field of water.
Is this AMAYA’s first participation in a European project?
AMAYA is very actively involved in a number of European projects focused on researching different aspects — technical, operational and governance-related, among others — connected to wastewater treatment and reuse.
In the past three years alone, in addition to the SOLLAGUA project, AMAYA has been actively participating in the following initiatives: MENAWARA (ENI CBC MED); LIFE-INTEXT (LIFE); NATMED (PRIMA); SARASWATI 2.0 (H2020); I-REWATER (INTERREG SUDOE); TARGET (INTERREG SUDOE); and AQUACARE (INTERREG SUDOE).
What is the appeal of SOLLAGUA to AMAYA?
The SOLLAGUA project is especially relevant to AMAYA due to its clear alignment with the Agency’s mission to protect and enhance the natural environment and to ensure the sustainable and efficient management of water resources in Andalusia. In a context of increasing water scarcity — exacerbated by the semi-arid nature of the territory and the effects of climate change — SOLLAGUA directly addresses some of the key challenges facing water management in the region.
In particular, the project’s focus on water reuse through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) fully aligns with AMAYA’s responsibilities in wastewater treatment, the improvement of treatment processes, and the promotion of reclaimed water for various uses. The implementation of these innovative solutions supports the transition towards more resilient and sustainable water management models that are compatible with environmental protection, while also helping to reduce pressure on natural water resources.
Furthermore, participation in SOLLAGUA provides AMAYA with the opportunity to strengthen its role as a technical and operational body by exchanging experience and best practice with other territories within the SUDOE area and by contributing to the development and validation of sustainable water management strategies in rural environments. Altogether, this enhances climate adaptation capacity, supports a more stable water supply, and generates additional environmental benefits, in line with AMAYA’s strategic objectives.
What is AMAYA’s mission in the SOLLAGUA project?
AMAYA’s mission within the SOLLAGUA project is to provide technical leadership and act as a driving force by coordinating Activities 2.4 and 3.1 and contributing its well-established expertise in wastewater treatment and reuse through Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
It also actively contributes to the design and implementation of the Living Labs, drawing on the experience gained from its own Living Lab, which has been operational for several years. In addition, AMAYA provides cross-cutting technical support across all project activities and plays a key role in the dissemination and valorisation of results, with the aim of ensuring the proper implementation of innovative solutions and their effective transfer to the territory.
Currently, what are you engaged in?
At present, AMAYA is leading and coordinating the activity focused on defining the locations of the demonstrators in the project’s three target regions, as well as selecting the Nature-Based Solution (NBS) to be implemented in each case. To this end, it gathers the necessary information and leads the corresponding analysis process, ensuring evidence-based decision-making that is consistent with the project’s objectives.
AMAYA is also very actively involved in defining a strategy for setting up Living Labs aimed at promoting NBS for water reuse in rural areas.
In addition, AMAYA provides cross-cutting technical support to the coordinators of the project’s other activities, contributing to the achievement of their objectives and ensuring the overall coherence and alignment of the actions carried out within SOLLAGUA.
What are the main challenges you are currently facing?
At this stage of the project, AMAYA is primarily facing the challenge of consolidating all the work it has been carrying out and translating it into tangible and practical outcomes. One of the main challenges is to successfully complete the adaptation of its Living Lab so that it becomes not merely an exhibition space, but a genuine demonstration facility capable of showcasing, in practical terms, the potential of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
At the same time, AMAYA must ensure that the activities it leads within SOLLAGUA achieve the planned technical and strategic objectives, guaranteeing that the solutions implemented are operational, replicable and capable of delivering real added value. In addition, there is a need to strengthen dissemination and knowledge transfer, and to ensure the continuity of the results achieved so that the project’s impact endures beyond its formal completion.
What are the key findings to date?
With regard to the activities carried out so far by AMAYA, it can be concluded that Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) constitute effective and robust systems for the treatment and reuse of wastewater in rural settings. They stand out for their low energy consumption, reduced operation and maintenance costs, and the additional environmental benefits they generate, such as enhanced biodiversity and contributions to climate change mitigation.
However, their uptake remains limited by various technical, regulatory, financial and socio-cultural barriers, including administrative burdens, the lack of specific incentives, limited institutional coordination, and insufficient awareness of successful case studies. To overcome these obstacles, it is necessary to promote integrated strategies that include improvements to the regulatory framework, the introduction of financial incentives, strengthened technical capacity, enhanced cooperation among the different stakeholders involved, and greater public awareness — thereby establishing a clear roadmap for scaling up the deployment of NBS in the long term.
What do you think SOLLAGUA’s contribution will be after the end of the project in scientific, social and economic terms?
When the SOLLAGUA project comes to an end, its main contribution will have been to demonstrate, in practical terms and in close connection with the territory, that it is possible to manage water in a more sustainable way that is better suited to the realities of rural areas. It will not simply consist of theoretical studies, but of real-life experiences showing how Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can enable wastewater to be reused safely, efficiently and in line with European legislation. For organisations such as AMAYA, this will mean having stronger tools and knowledge to plan and manage water according to innovative and sustainable principles.
From a social perspective, the project will help rural communities feel better prepared to face water scarcity and the effects of climate change. By involving public authorities, universities, businesses and citizens through the Living Lab approach, SOLLAGUA will have fostered collaboration and active participation in the search for solutions. It will also help to change perceptions around water reuse, which may lead to more informed, cohesive and resilient communities. From an economic standpoint, SOLLAGUA may generate new opportunities for companies linked to green technologies and environmental management.
In short, the project will not only deliver technical solutions, but will also lay a solid foundation for progressing towards more sustainable water management, particularly in those areas that need it most.
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