Archive for category: News

This year, the European Researchers’ Night, the Europe-wide public event that brings researchers closer to the general public, went digital due to the exceptional circumstance of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, on November 27, researchers from all over Cyprus met the public online and showcase their work.

IACO was also there! We presented our work on diatoms through digital activities, games and video. This is part of the Eurostars project E-Wat-Dimon, which aims to design and validate DNA metabarcoding methodology for European benthic diatoms identification and to develop a DNA-based analytic test for its standard application in biodiversity assessments of European rivers.

I.A.CO, along with EMVIS S.A. (Greece), signed a Contract with the Water Development Department for the elaboration of a Master Plan for the use of the tertiary treated water of the wider area of Limassol.

The main goal of the project is to study alternative options for the development of the required infrastructure, in order to use and manage the tertiary treated water produced by the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Moni and from the under-construction WWTP of Western Limassol in Polemidia, in a rational manner.

The project includes data collection from the Relevant Authorities (e.g. Water Development Department, Department of Agriculture etc.), description of the existing infrastructure pertinent to the WWTPs and the tertiary treated water distribution as well as the development of alternative scenarios regarding the management of the tertiary treated water. The alternative options will be assessed taking into consideration various criteria such as socioeconomical, environmental, technical, feasibility etc. aiming to the selection of the optimum option.

I.A.CO has signed a Contract with the Water Development Department for the elaboration of a hydrological and hydraulic study for proposing flood protection measures/works in the riparian zone of the Xeros river valley. The study area concerns the segment of the River which is extended from “Foinikas”, just upstream Asprokremos Dam, up to the area named “Rotsos ton Laoudion” covering a total length of 15km.

A flood risk assessment for peak flows at a return period of 1 in 25, 1 in 50 and 1 in 100 years will be performed for the generation of the relevant flood maps. Based on the results of the flood assessment, the appropriate flood protection measures will be proposed for the protection of the adjacent properties that are affected from river flooding. One of the main criteria of the measures to be proposed is that the study area falls within the NATURA 2000 network.

I.A.CO has signed a contract with the Geological Survey Department for the Elaboration of the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment Study (SEIA) of the Action Plan for the Rehabilitation of the Abandoned Mines of Cyprus.

The SEIA is expected to ensure a high level of environmental protection and incorporate environmental issues into the implementation of the Rehabilitation Action Plan of the Abandoned Mines of Cyprus, in accordance with the provisions of Law No.102(I)/2015.

One of the main goals of the SEIA is to determine the best environmental conditions framework under which rehabilitation works will be permitted, taking into account the provisions of the Action Plan of the Technical Committee for the Restoration of the Environment in abandoned mines and all legal and ecological constrains. Furthermore, the SEIA is expected to encourage sustainable management, the protection of mineral resources as well as the promotion of the cultural and natural environment of each mine, while safeguarding any ecological sensitivity in situ as concluded through our Study.

I.A.CO is currently conducting samplings and observations in Cyprus’ lakes within the framework of a Water Development Department tender (YY 02/2020 ΠΣ) titled “Provision of services for sampling and observations in Cyprus’ natural lakes”. The objective of the project is the collection of samples regarding biotic elements (macrophytes, zooplankton, phytoplankton) and water from the monitoring stations in the natural lakes of Larnaka, Oroklini, Paralimni and Akrotiri. The objective also includes measurements of in-situ water field parameters (e.g. conductivity, dissolved oxygen etc). The duration of the project will be approximately 4 months.