Expert:Rationalizing water tops Egypt’s agenda in 2030

Water resources expert Dr. Diaa El Koussy underlined the importance of the conference of Cairo Water Week, in its fourth version, Egypt hosts until the 28th of

Water resources expert Dr. Diaa El Koussy underlined the importance of the conference of Cairo Water Week, in its fourth version, Egypt hosts until the 28^th of October under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. 

Over the phone to (Cairo Local Time), he explained that the government treats and recycles millions of cubic meters of water per year of very low quality of industrial waste. We changed our irrigation system from the traditional one to pressurized systems, he added, pointing that we have also changed our cropping pattern to save and conserve water to use it in a proper way.

Dr. Kosi added that this edition of the conference entitled “Water, Population and Global Changes: Challenges and Opportunities” discusses many themes. Egypt has developed a strategic plan to manage water resources until 2037 at $50 million. 

Further, he highlighted that the plan is based on four axes; First, improving water quality and establishing dual and tertiary treatment plants, second, the development of new water resources as Egypt is witnessing growing seawater desalination technology, third, rationalizing water usage and raising the efficiency of the irrigation system as Egypt lines canals and switches to modern irrigation techniques, and the fourth accommodating water projects through legislative and institutional development, as well as raising the awareness of citizens on rationalizing water and reducing pollution.

He elaborated that Egypt has adopted the comprehensive vision "Egypt 2030" in an ambitious national program that addresses all aspects of life, in which the Egyptian state has given top priority to the sixth goal of the sustainable development goals related to water, and Egypt has also developed a strategic plan for managing water resources until 2037.

He asserted that Egypt depends on the Nile Water with 97%. But the country uses the few drops of the rain by improving rain harvesting techniques and the situation of the ground water reservoir. “We also adopt the new technology of cloud ceilings and new harvesting, and we naturalize the industry of desalination which is a big challenge”.

The president said Egypt has taken the initiative with other countries to rationalize the water usage as part of the comprehensive vision of Egypt’s 2030, noting that the country adopts an ambitious national water resources, management and development strategy with an estimated cost of 50 billion dollars, he said. This strategy will reduce the losses, reduce evaporation and reduce the propagation of aquatic reefs. 

The per capita share of water in Egypt is 560 cubic meters annually while the UN defined water poverty as 1,000 cubic meters. Egypt is the world’s driest country with the lowest rate of precipitation, rendering it reliant on the Nile River almost exclusively, which in turn comes from beyond the borders, resulting in a difficult water equation.

(Cairo Local Time) is aired from Saturday to Thursday. This episode is presented by Amal Mokhtar.