Egypt is constructing 151 dual and triple sewage treatment plants across the country, with a total capacity of five million m3 of water per day, at a cost of EGP 31.59 billion The announcement was made by Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Assem El-Gazzar on Saturday. Other projects include 59 wastewater treatment plants that were built in Upper Egypt to serve 8.3 million people, he added. Since President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has taken office, Egypt has been aiming to maximise the use of water and reuse treated water, the minister said. El-Gazzar revealed that 14 seawater desalination plants are being built in Egypt, with a total capacity of 476,000 m3 of water per day, at a cost of EGP 9.71 billion. The 14 plants, expected to be completed by June 2022, are being constructed in the governorates of Marsa Matrouh, the Red Sea, North Sinai, South Sinai, Port Said, Daqahliya, Suez and Alexandria, El-Gazzar's statement read. When built, the plants will bring Egypt's tally to 90 desalination stations with a total capacity of 1,307,69 million m3 per day due to the operation of 76 existing seawater desalination plants, with a total capacity of 831,690 m3 per day, the minister said. El-Gazzar explained that a plan has been drawn up to maximise the use of available water resources and rationalise water consumption and to optimally utilise every drop of water to achieve the utmost benefit. The plan works to provide alternative sources of drinking water through desalination in coastal governorates and reuse treated water, he added. Egypt's annual share of water is 560 m3 per person, placing the populous country well below the international threshold for water scarcity. When annual water supplies drop below 1,000 m3 per person, according to the UN, the population faces water scarcity, and below 500 cubic metres "absolute scarcity."
