Deprived communities are getting better access to clean water, Sherine Nasr reports The recently launched 2009 Human Development Report took the average number of those who are using an improved water resource as an indication of wellbeing. Promoting a healthy life for Egyptians through using clean water and sanitation has been a major concern of the government and international organisations alike. On Monday, a communication campaign entitled "Clean Water for Healthy Life" was launched to celebrate International Water Day on 22 March and to help promote more awareness among Egyptians of the value of simple hygiene practices that could make a big difference to their lives and to the quality of water in Egypt. "In addition to highlighting the importance of improving water and sanitation behaviour, this national campaign will seek to accelerate efforts to promote and preserve water quality, water resources and improve sanitation services through the involvement of different players such as the private sector and NGOs," said Erma Manoncourt, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Egypt representative. But water is an expensive product. And for Egypt, it is a crucial resource. Since 1959, Egypt's share of the Nile water is a constant 55.5 billion cubic metres. With the fast growth in population, per capita share of water is diminishing rapidly to below the water poverty line. According to Abdel-Qawi Khalifa, chairman of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW), the average cost to provide one cubic metre of potable water is an estimated LE0.54. On average, one person consumes 100-500 litres of water daily. Fortunately, the water and sanitation sector in Egypt has been restructured since 2004. "The HCWW was established in 2004. At present, there are 23 subsidiaries to the company that are providing services across the country, with the exception of the Suez Canal cities. Potable water has a coverage rate of 100 per cent while sanitation is covered at 60 per cent," said Khalifa who added that wastewater is estimated at 6.5 billion cubic metres. "We have a wealth of wastewater that should be utilised, particularly as fresh water resources are scant," said Khalifa. Notable the treated wastewater has helped cultivate 12,000 feddans while some 17,000 more feddans will soon be cultivated. Investment in the sector has also been growing rapidly. According to Khalifa, investment tripled during the past three years to reach LE13 billion compared to LE4 billion in 2006. The total volume of investment in the sector is estimated at LE100 billion. By 2007, Egypt had 175 large plants to produce potable water, 786 small water- purifying stations, 1,703 artesian wells, in addition to 23 local units that together serve 80 million people. And for the first time in Egypt, a LE1 billion budget for the purpose of replacing and renovating of existing facilities has been allocated. "The money mainly comes from the state's budget and through long-term soft loans and grants," said Khalifa. According to the HCWW chairman, a good proportion of this budget is directed to renovating the existing network. "It is worth noting that some of the stations dated back to 1920 and their condition was deplorable." The HCWW has made use of international firms to examine the facilities and set priorities for action. An action plan for sewage and drainage has also been outlined with priority given to Egyptian villages with close proximity to water resources and those with highly condensed population. In an exclusive interview, Manoncourt underlined that in the field of potable water and healthy sanitation Egypt is on track. "As a matter of fact, UNICEF does not impose ideas or fix things. We are mainly directed by the ministries concerned and the local communities whose information is far more valuable than statistics," she said. Through partnering with different players in society, UNICEF has provided a revolving fund to enable rural and deprived communities in Upper Egypt to have access to and use of safe drinking water and sanitation. "To date, more than 400,000 rural Egyptians now have access to potable water in their homes while 80,000 Egyptians have constructed sanitation facilities in 13 districts in Upper Egypt. The model can easily be replicated in other deprived areas across the country," Manoncourt said.
