The government is promising to resolve water shortages, but an unconvinced public continues to protest. Reem Leila investigates For several weeks, many disgruntled residents have been participating in what has been dubbed as the "water revolution". Large sections in Cairo and many villages across the country have suffered summer's scorching sun and heat without a drop of water. The reasons are many including crumbling infrastructure, but the result is the same: angry residents struggling to quench their thirst and maintain hygiene. In early July, water pipes at the Cairo district of Manshiyet Nasser dried up for one week, while the Cairo suburb of Al-Shorouq has succumbed to irregular water supplies for more than two months. Thirst strikes have spread to the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliya and Upper Egypt's Beni Sweif as well, where hundreds of farmers and villagers have risen in protest. Some residents are forced to buy water to meet their needs, but others are considering the more radical option of moving away after realising their area will remain dry for some time. About three weeks ago, residents in several governorates took to the streets to protest against water shortages lasting over two years; they also sent letters to government officials and Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif beseeching them for help. The water shortage problem according to MP Saad El-Husseini is partially due to low water fees and the belief that "water belongs to everyone" so it shouldn't cost too much. This dries up funds for maintaining water supply infrastructure, and as El-Husseini admitted, "there is injustice in the distribution of water." Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, the MP asserted that "there is discrimination in the distribution of drinking water due to corruption or activity favouring the construction of new projects. This increases the pressure on pumping stations like the one at Manshiyet Nasser." El-Husseini also pointed to the direct link between pollution of some water sources and liver and kidney diseases in a number of locations. He also warned of a struggle over water between residents of villages versus those in big city suburbs and rich people living in luxury projects. El-Husseini divulged that some officials suggested to the People's Assembly Housing Committee (PAHC) on Thursday issuing "charge cards" for water, where citizens buy cards to charge a water metre to use the water. "The suggestion was turned down for the time being," he stated. Another issue which was widely discussed in the press last week was the fact that the government went on summer break without resolving the water problem. Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities (MHUUC) Ahmed El-Maghrabi, who had been widely criticised, tried to defend himself by announcing that at an emergency meeting the government decided to allot some LE1 billion in urgent aid to resolve the issue. At Thursday's PAHC meeting, El-Maghrabi vehemently denied that his ministry will sell water to citizens through a private company. He stated that the government has allocated LE17 billion in its five-year plan to provide all deprived governorates and districts with potable water. The minister also noted that "no government in the world provides drinking water to 100 per cent of its residents; the government would never be able to please the entire nation," he asserted. At the same PAHC session MP Ibrahim Auf accused the government of wasting millions of pounds in unsuccessful water tower projects -- some failing even before they were launched. Rapid population growth, the absence of good water management and distribution, as well as water pollution are considered the main reasons for the shortage. Auf quoted a report issued by the Water Research Centre (WRC) stating that Egypt will face "serious water shortages" by the year 2025, and described the crisis as "a possible drought". The report also mentioned that 60 per cent of farms will not receive any water due to restrictions on water supplies. In an attempt to contain the mushrooming problem, MHUUC suggested several solutions in a meeting on Saturday with the heads of the National Organisation of Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage, as well as the Holding Water Company for Greater Cairo. Officials suggested the establishment of 104 new water stations around the country, with a capacity of 11 million cubic litres of potable water. Abdel-Hamid El-Shaer, press consultant to the MHUUC, told the Weekly that El-Maghrabi has prioritised the needs of governorates lacking drinking water and those whose access to water is based on a rotation schedule. El-Shaer added that the ministry will increase daily water production by 1.5 million cubic litres to provide deprived governorates with a larger share of drinking water. "Total daily water production would reach 21.5 million cubic litres, instead of 20 million," he explained. Meanwhile, MHUUC has developed several temporary solutions, such as drilling more wells and expanding water pump networks within six months. Moreover, another plan would provide areas like Al-Remayah, Al-Haram and Hadabat Al-Ahram in Giza with potable water. Some 400,000 residents will benefit from the proposal, at a cost of LE81 million.
