This Plan describes how Egypt will safeguard the quality and quantity of its water resources and the best manner to use such resources. The Plan is based on an Integrated Water Resources Management approach. The Plan forms part of the National Water Resources Plan Project together with the Policy Document and the Supporting Technical Reports. The core of the Plan is the strategy set out in Chapter 5. The Plan is divided into six Chapters: The first Chapter contains an executive summary; Chapter 2 contains a description of the water resources system of Egypt; Chapter 3 describes the context of this Plan, including the legal framework; Chapter 4 analysis expected development in the water sector; Chapter 5 presents the “Facing the Challenge” strategy (i.e. the actual plan); the last Chapter described how the plan will be implemented. The Plan is completed by Annexes that contain supporting information. The Plan indicates and describes the Nile as the main source of water in Egypt. The contribution of groundwater to the total water supply is modest. Most water is abstracted from the Nile aquifer and the Nubian sandstone aquifer. The Plan sets out an analysis of the quality of water and problems of pollution. Agriculture is almost entirely dependent on irrigation from the Nile. A description of use of water for piped water supply, industry, aquaculture, fisheries is also given. The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) is the prime responsible ministry for water resources management. The Ministry has decentralised functions at Governorate level. The Plan sets out national water resources objectives and performance indicators and the main characteristics of legislation of laws that provide with respect to water resources management, notably the Law on irrigation and Drainage, the Law concerning protection of the Nile from pollution, the Law on farmer participation and the Law on environment protection. It also provides description of international cooperation in water resource management with respect to the Nile. Developments to increase water use efficiency include the Irrigation Improvement Project (IIP), and a Programme by the Egyptian Public Authority for Drainage Projects (EPADP), which will develop and integrate into the Integrated Irrigation Improvement and Management Project (IIIMP). The strategy “Facing the Challenge” aims at development of additional water resources, better use of existing resources and protecting public health and the environment. Development of additional resources concerns increased supply of Nile water in an international context, deep, brackish and shallow groundwater, rainfall and flash-flood harvesting and desalination. Making more effective use of existing resources concerns, among other things: improved irrigation, reuse of drainage water, water distribution and demand management of water supply, reuse of wastewater, aquaculture, new crops and awareness campaigns. Public health and the environment concern in particular pollution prevention and increased drinking water supply. Institutional measures concern, among other things, establishment of integrated MWRI districts, transfer of functions from the MWRI to District Water Boards and Water User Associations and the establishment of a National Water Council. Implementation of the Plan will follow the five-year and annual planning system of Egypt. A National Implementation Plan will provide an overview. The Plan also provides with respect to national operational planning by stakeholders, monitoring, risk assessment and management, gender issues and public awareness. Future developments shall include decentralization and privatization.
National Water Resources Plan 2017.