Egypt towards Integrated Water Resources Management

ByM.B.A.SAAD

Head of the Reservoirs Grand Barrages SectorMinistry of Water Resources and Irrigation

e-mail bahaa@mwri.gov.eg

As populations and economies grow, water demand increases while the availability of the resource remains constant. Accordingly:

developing multiple sources and

managing multiple uses (municipal, industrial, irrigation)

more efficient water resource supply systems

maintaining or improving ambient water quality

reduction of water system losses, privatization, decentralization, effluent discharge regulation, water quality monitoring and enforcement, soil and water conservation programs, non-point source pollution control, and water and soil conservation measures are highly required.

1.Introduction

Proper management, protection and exploitation of the water resources is a challenge caused by population growth and increasing pressure on the water and land resources.

2-Water Resources Management

Water Resources Management includes:

Investments for urban, rural, industrial, and agricultural water supply, sewerage treatment, flood control, irrigation and drainage, hydropower and navigation projects.

Other activities affecting catchment waters include forestry, mining, and construction, and industrial discharge and agricultural runoff. 

3-Integrated

Water Resources Management

It is an importance of taking a holistic approach of managing water resources.

Integrated Water Resource Management as a multidisciplinary approach aims to obtain an effective water resource management, from a use-based management to an integral framework.

4-Procedures for establish water resources management

a-Water resources management must be done on the basis of river basins.

b-Integrated water resources management must be introduced for both supply and demand and it will be elaborated into 5 aspects: water resources development, conservation, allocation, natural disaster prevention (water shortage and flooding) and polluted water prevention and treatment.

c-Long-term (20-25 years) physical master plan on water resources management must be formulated.

d-A master plan should clearly delineate areas of development and conservation.

e-Information on water demand and supply should be considered in an integrated manner and prioritized.

f-Organizational arrangement at different levels must be established.

g-Water resources act, related decree, rule and regulation must be enacted to efficiently manage this sector.

h-Participation of concerned agencies, public and private, and also group of people will be promoted.

j-Research of important issues leading to practical and effective management of water resources.

k-Water resources information must be developed to the stage of being complete, correct and update.

l-Monitoring, analyzing and evaluating of the operational work.

Through the adaptation of the IWRM the following should be considered:

•Integration of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s), water resources modeling and land use planning.

•IWRM should be applied at catchment’s level.

•Water should be managed alongside the management of codependent natural resources, namely soil, forests, air and biota.

•Systems analysis results should be translated into useful knowledge should be avoided.

•A true systems approach recognizes the individual components as well as the linkages between them.

>Full participation by all stakeholders, including workers and the community.

 

•Attention to social dimensions. This will include the promotion of equitable access, enhanced role of women, and the employment and income implications of change.

•Capacity building is highly recommended as at many levels in the process .The water stakeholders should collaborate in designing and implementing strategic elements of capacity building as part of the evolving IWRM process.

• Capacity building categories include education and awareness raising about water; information resources for policy making; regulations and compliance; basic infrastructure; and market stability.

Study case

Egypt towards IWRM

Introduction

*Egypt covers an area of about 1,000 000 km2 of the arid belt of North Africa. *Only 5 %Only 5 % of this area is occupied by its population of nearly 70 millions, of which 99% is concentrated in the Delta zone. *Cultivated areas occupy meanly 8.5 million feddans, mostly confined to the flood plain and the Delta of the Nile. Few oases and some arable land in Sinai, irrigated by irrecoverable groundwater.*A reliable supply of water for irrigation is therefore mandatory for the development of agriculture in Egypt.*The main and almost exclusive source of water is the Nile river as no rain and the groundwater depends on the Nile .

* Egypt is now facing a major challenge of how to increase the rate of growth in agriculture production to generate and meet its future food requirements to cope with a very high annual rate of an increase in population (1.9%). *The population which was about 20 million in 1952 is now estimated at 70 millions and is expected to be 90 million by the year 2025.*The share of cultivated land per capita has been dropping since 1930. *To keep the present standard of the per capita share of the cultivated land, it deems it deems imperatively to reclaim new areas annually. imperatively to reclaim new areas annually.

3.EXPECTED IMBALANCES BETWEEN THE WATER SUPPLIES AND DEMANDS

*Egypt has no other water resources expet Nile water.

*Also, the increase in the standard of living and Also, the increase in the standard of living and the technological advancement will contribute to the technological advancement will contribute to the imbalance between supply and demandthe imbalance between supply and demand..

11 major barrages on the

Nile and its branches.

16 Head regulator directly

fed from the Nile.

37 intermediate regulators

on the rayahs and major

canals..

Main Tasks of Ministry of Main Tasks of Ministry of Water Resources and Water Resources and

IrrigationIrrigation

Planning and Implementation of Water PolicyPlanning and Implementation of Water Policy

Planning and Implementation of Water Resources Planning and Implementation of Water Resources Development Projects, Irrigation and Drainage Development Projects, Irrigation and Drainage Projects, and Improving Irrigation SystemProjects, and Improving Irrigation System

Managing the Water Resources and Irrigation and Managing the Water Resources and Irrigation and Drainage Networks Drainage Networks

Constructing and Managing Dams, Reservoirs and Constructing and Managing Dams, Reservoirs and BarragesBarrages

Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Irrigation Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Irrigation and Drainage Pump Stations and Drainage Pump Stations

36

Water Water Resources Resources Till Year 2003Till Year 2003Water Water Resources Resources Till Year 2003Till Year 2003

Rainfall Rainfall

1.001.00

Ground Water in Ground Water in Delta and Nile ValleyDelta and Nile Valley

6.136.13

Ground Water in Deserts Ground Water in Deserts and Sinaiand Sinai

0.910.91

Drainage Water ReuseDrainage Water Reuse in Lower Egyptin Lower Egypt

5.95.9

Sewage waterSewage water

0.700.70

Total 70.14 BCMTotal 70.14 BCM

Nile Nile

55.555.5

37

Water Demands at Present

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Agriculture Industrial Municipal Losses’

Demand TypesD

em

an

ds(

Mil

lia

rds/

yr)

Series1

Agriculture

Industrial

Municipal

Losses’

52

7.5 4.54 2.1

77%

3%11%

7%

Future Water Resources Till Year 2017Future Water Resources Till Year 2017Future Water Resources Till Year 2017Future Water Resources Till Year 2017

RainfallRainfall

1.501.50

Ground Water in Ground Water in Delta and Nile ValleyDelta and Nile Valley

7.507.50

Ground Water in Ground Water in Deserts and SinaiDeserts and Sinai

3.503.50

Drainage Water ReuseDrainage Water Reuse in Lower Egyptin Lower Egypt

8.408.40Sewage waterSewage water

2.502.50Total 87.90 BCMTotal 87.90 BCM

NileNile

57.557.5

Crop Pattern andCrop Pattern and IrrigationIrrigation

Improvement Improvement

7.007.00

39

Water Demand in 2017

01020304050607080

Agriculture Industrial Municipal Losses’

Demand TypeD

em

an

ds

(Mil

lia

rds/

yr)

Series1

Agriculture

Industrial

Municipal

Losses’

77%

12% 8% 3%

67

10.5 6,62.5

Per Capita Share of Water and Agricultural LandsPer Capita Share of Water and Agricultural LandsPer Capita Share of Water and Agricultural LandsPer Capita Share of Water and Agricultural Lands

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1897 1907 1917 1927 1937 1947 1960 1970 1986 1992 2000 2025

Years

Wat

er m

3

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

Agr

icul

tura

l lan

ds (

fedd

ans)

Water Agricultural Lands41

Mid

Sin

ai

Aro

un

d C

airo

& A

lexa

nd

ria

So

uth

Val

ley

(To

shka

)

No

rth

Sin

ai &

Wes

t C

anal

(EL

-Sal

am)

Wes

tern

Des

ert

Nile

Val

ley,

Del

ta &

bo

un

dri

es

0.25 0.25

0.54 0.620.54

1.2

Jungli SewageNile

NileDrainage

Reuse

Deep GW

Nile

Drainage Reuseand

Surface GW

Are

a (M

illi

on F

edd

ans)

Are

a (M

illi

on F

edd

ans) Total Water requirement Total Water requirement 20.8020.80 BCM BCM

Total Area Total Area 3.43.4 Million Feddans Million FeddansTotal Area Total Area 3.43.4 Million Feddans Million Feddans

42

Horizontal Expansion Plan Till Year 2017Horizontal Expansion Plan Till Year 2017

Drainage Water ReuseDrainage Water Reuse

43

= Drainage Water Reuse is Being Implemented Drainage Water Reuse is Being Implemented

According to Fixed Specifications and Factors According to Fixed Specifications and Factors

= Estimated Drainage Water is Estimated Drainage Water is (12-13)(12-13) BCM/year, BCM/year,

Water Salinity Ratio Water Salinity Ratio (700-3000) (700-3000) PPM PPM

= The Ministry Aims to Increase the Drainage Water The Ministry Aims to Increase the Drainage Water

Reuse From Reuse From 5.05.0 BCM (Year 2003) to BCM (Year 2003) to 8.48.4 BCM BCM

(Year 2017) (Year 2017)

3.003

1.829

1.804

0.845

0.479

3.601

0.005

0.21

0.001

0.03

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

BC

M /

year

Nile Basin Boundries NubianSandStone

Western Desert

NubianSandStone

Eastern Desert &Sinai

Coastal Basins

Ground Water Potential in EgyptGround Water Potential in Egypt

Total 11.9 BCMTotal 11.9 BCM

Requirements so far Requirements so far 5.405.40 BCM BCM

Additional available till Additional available till 20172017 6.506.50 BCM BCM

44

Present and Future Municipal DemandsPresent and Future Municipal DemandsTill Year 2017Till Year 2017

Annual Requirements in Year Annual Requirements in Year 20032003 4.544.54 BCM BCM

Expected Requirements in YearExpected Requirements in Year 2017 2017 6.606.60 BCM BCM

45

Annual Requirements in Year Annual Requirements in Year 20032003 7.607.60 BCM BCM

Average Annul Industrial GrowthAverage Annul Industrial Growth 4.00%4.00%

46

Present and Future Industrial RequirementsPresent and Future Industrial RequirementsTill Year 2017Till Year 2017

In 2017In 2017

Total RequirementsTotal Requirements 10.6010.60 BCM BCM

Actual ConsumptionActual Consumption 2.27 2.27 BCM BCM

Wastewater Back to SystemWastewater Back to System 8.338.33 BCM BCM

3.003

1.829

1.804

0.845

0.479

3.601

0.005

0.21

0.001

0.03

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

BC

M /

year

Nile Basin Boundries NubianSandStone

Western Desert

NubianSandStone

Eastern Desert &Sinai

Coastal Basins

Ground Water Potential in EgyptGround Water Potential in Egypt

Total 11.9 BCMTotal 11.9 BCM

Requirements year Requirements year 20032003 5.405.40 BCM BCM

Additional available till Additional available till 20172017 6.506.50 BCM BCM

47

Drainage Water ReuseDrainage Water Reuse

48

Drainage Water Reuse is Being Implemented Drainage Water Reuse is Being Implemented

According to Fixed Specifications and Factors According to Fixed Specifications and Factors

Estimated Drainage Water is (12-13) BCM/year, Estimated Drainage Water is (12-13) BCM/year,

Water Salinity Ratio (700-3000) PPM Water Salinity Ratio (700-3000) PPM

The Ministry Aims to Increase the Drainage Water The Ministry Aims to Increase the Drainage Water

Reuse From 5.0 BCM (Year 2003) to 8.4 BCM Reuse From 5.0 BCM (Year 2003) to 8.4 BCM

(Year 2017) (Year 2017)

Major Water Policy Major Water Policy Directions Till Year Directions Till Year

20172017

First Direction:First Direction:

Optimal Use of Available Water ResourcesOptimal Use of Available Water Resources

Second Direction:Second Direction:Protect Water Quality & Prevent PollutionProtect Water Quality & Prevent Pollution

Third Direction:Third Direction:Develop New Water Resources inDevelop New Water Resources inCooperation With Riparian CountriesCooperation With Riparian Countries

50

First DirectionFirst Direction: : Optimal Use of Available Water Optimal Use of Available Water Resources Resources

National Program for Irrigation National Program for Irrigation

ImprovementImprovement

Optimal Cropping PatternOptimal Cropping Pattern

National Program for Drainage ProjectsNational Program for Drainage Projects

Minimize Water LossesMinimize Water Losses

52

Cost RecoveryCost Recovery

Best Usage of Unconventional Water Best Usage of Unconventional Water Resources Such as Drainage Water Reuse Resources Such as Drainage Water Reuse and Treatment Sewage Water, and and Treatment Sewage Water, and Ground Water Ground Water

Maximize the Benefits From Rainfall, Maximize the Benefits From Rainfall,

Flash Floods, and Rain Harvesting.Flash Floods, and Rain Harvesting.

53

Second DirectionSecond Direction: : Protect Water Quality & Prevent PollutionProtect Water Quality & Prevent Pollution

Implement the Laws of Nile River Implement the Laws of Nile River Protection and Water Conveyance System Protection and Water Conveyance System from Pollution from Pollution

Determine Priorities to Continue Determine Priorities to Continue Treatment Units of Industrial DrainageTreatment Units of Industrial Drainage

Converting Water Conveyance System in Converting Water Conveyance System in the Urban Areas from open channel to the Urban Areas from open channel to closed conduitsclosed conduits

55

56

Prevent the Usage of Chemicals in Weed Prevent the Usage of Chemicals in Weed Control and Agriculture Fields.Control and Agriculture Fields.

Use Mechanical and Biological Preventing Use Mechanical and Biological Preventing Methods in Weed Control Methods in Weed Control

Use New Techniques in Irrigation to Use New Techniques in Irrigation to Reduce Polluted Drainage Water Reduce Polluted Drainage Water

Public Awareness Public Awareness

Third DirectionThird Direction: :

Develop New Water Resources in Cooperation Develop New Water Resources in Cooperation with Riparian Countries with Riparian Countries

58

Joint Cooperation with Riparian CountriesJoint Cooperation with Riparian Countries Grant Agreement with Kenya to Dig 100 Ground Grant Agreement with Kenya to Dig 100 Ground

WellWell (4.3 Million $)(4.3 Million $)

Grant Agreement with Uganda to help in weed Grant Agreement with Uganda to help in weed controlcontrol (13.9 Million $)(13.9 Million $)

Proposed Grant Agreement with Tanzania for Proposed Grant Agreement with Tanzania for Technical SupportTechnical Support (5.00 Million $)(5.00 Million $)

Dialogue with (Rwanda, Eritrea, Ethiopia) Dialogue with (Rwanda, Eritrea, Ethiopia)

59

Training Scholarships for Technicians Training Scholarships for Technicians from Riparian Countries from Riparian Countries

Study Tours to Irrigation and Drainage Study Tours to Irrigation and Drainage Projects Projects

Rearrange for Meetings of the Riparian Rearrange for Meetings of the Riparian PermanentPermanent Technical CommitteeTechnical Committee

Why Institutional Reform ?

Government/MWRI Promote economic efficiency & sustainable irrigation

and drainage management Reduce government interference at Operational level Promote wider share-ownership Provide the opportunity to introduce competition Better opportunities for PSP in water sector

investmentsWater Users Improved system performance Promotion of water distribution equity,… Transparency Improve equity in irrigation water distribution Reduce water related conflicts

MWRI Current Scope of Work

Planning and Implementation of Water Policy Planning and Implementation of Water Resources

Development Projects, Irrigation and Drainage Projects, and Improving Irrigation System

Managing the Water Resources and Irrigation and Drainage Networks

Constructing and Managing Dams, Reservoirs and Barrages

Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Irrigation and Drainage Pump Stations

MWRI Future Scope of Work

Planning and Implementation of Water Policy Planning and Implementation of Water

Resources Development Projects, Irrigation and Drainage Projects, and Improving Irrigation System

Managing the Water Resources and Irrigation and Drainage Networks

Constructing and Managing Dams, Reservoirs and Barrages

Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Irrigation and Drainage Pump Stations

Regulatory and corrective role

History and Recent Efforts Towards Institutional Reform

Construction Companies privatization Recent Privatization Efforts

Mega Projects Services Cost Recovery Pipe making factories and others

Decentralization Efforts WUA for Irrigation Improvement Projects Irrigation Advisory Services Water Boards...

Policy Debates ( APP & EPIQ) Restructuring of MWRI (GW sector…)

Institutional Reform Guiding Principles

1. Private Sector Participation & Decentralization models are site and Issue Specific

2. Focus on Irrigated Agricultures and withdraw higher up in the system

3. Promotion of water saving, environmental consideration and economic efficiency

4. Political, Social, and Economic Considerations

5. Creation of an Enabling Environment for successful institutional reform

6. Full participation of stakeholders