The activities of the second phase of the SALAM Initiative are divided into work packages (WP), grouped into 4 major blocks. Blocks 1, 2 and 3 correspond to the main strategic objectives of the project. The contents of the individual work packages are closely linked. The figure below shows the research approach of the second phase of the project and summarizes the input from the first phase of the SALAM Initiative.
Block 1 focuses on water resources planning, in other words on the infrastructural and technological implementation of regional water strategies. In WP 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, the project partners develop planning options in the fields of seawater desalination and energy, water supply, and wastewater management and reuse. The results are summarized in WP 1.0 on regional strategies. Block 2 deals with the optimal management of the planning variants developed in Block 1. The focus here is on the conjunctive management of surface water, groundwater, and wastewater resources. There is a close link between Block 1 and Block 2 with information flows in both directions. Indeed, the upgrade of the existing water resources system is defined within the framework of water resources planning (Block 1), and Block 2 analyzes whether the management objectives can be achieved with the upgraded systems. Block 3 covers work on cost-effectiveness, economic viability, online data collection and comparison of alternatives. Block 4 deals with the final comparison of alternative regional strategies and the implementation of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) concept.