Egypt: Government move to rationalize daily water consumption sparks controversy

A partial view of the Nile River                                                    

Egypt: Government move to rationalize daily water consumption sparks controversy

After the Egyptian government announced its intention to reduce per capita water consumption to 150 liters per day, the Egyptian public was filled with anticipation regarding the mechanism by which the government would implement this initiative.

The government previously stated in a statement on its Facebook page that the move to rationalize daily drinking water consumption comes within the framework of the state's vision to maintain its leading position among countries that rationalize water use.

 The statement added that the Ministry of Housing confirmed that a new guide for designing water stations has been issued, which rationalizes per capita consumption, bringing the average daily consumption to 150 liters instead of the current 250 liters.

Presidential Directives

The government's move to rationalize drinking water consumption came after directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to the government to strengthen the principle of partnership with the private sector in the field of agricultural infrastructure and to allow it to achieve a boom in national projects, according to the government statement. 

Abbas Sharaky, professor of geology and water resources at Cairo University, said that approximately 20 percent of Egypt's water quota, estimated at approximately 11.1 billion cubic meters annually, goes to drinking water plants. He explained that the largest amount of water goes to agricultural activities, which consume 80 percent of Egypt's water.

Waste Exceeds 25 Percent

Sharaki added that at least 25 percent of Egypt's drinking water is wasted through the drinking water transport network, which suffers from leaks and broken pipes, as well as excessive domestic water consumption. He explained that reducing the rate of waste requires the relevant authorities to periodically replace and renew water supply networks, as well as launch awareness campaigns for citizens to rationalize consumption.

He pointed out that the average daily water requirement per capita does not exceed 100 liters, yet daily consumption per capita in Egypt exceeds 250 liters, meaning that waste is very significant and takes many forms. He stressed the need for oversight of water waste and enforcement of laws to hold violators accountable, noting that awareness-raising efforts to reduce drinking water waste are insufficient.