The representative of the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources recently declared that the Nile will be free of pollutants in the near future. This was declared in a meeting of the Committee on Energy and Environment in the Parliament while the MPs and committee were to discuss on the request for briefing submitted by one of the MPs on some companies and factories that get rid of theirs Industrial and Domestic waste in the River Nile from southern Aswan to the North Delta, and the impact on health.  

The representative was referring to the efforts carried out by the ministry in coordination with other ministries designated in this regard so that the branches of Damietta and Rosetta become free of direct industrial pollutants. 

It is the follow up of the progressive efforts made since the beginning of the year 2017, by the Joint Committee of Agriculture, Irrigation, Food Security and Energy Environment, constitutional and legislative affairs in the Egyptian Parliament. Efforts were made to agree on the plan and the budget of the draft law submitted by MP Yahia Kadwani supported by 65 parliamentarians. It was about the amendment of Law No. 47 of 1982 regarding the protection of a river Nile and waterways from pollution.

The presentation was made during a meeting of the committee headed by MP Talaat al-Swaidi - Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Environment, in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Water Policy, and the Department of Legislation in the Ministry of the Interior, and delegates from the Ministry of Water Resources, Health, Finance and Housing.

He also mentioned that industrial pollution sources are 22 factories and the ministry has succeeded in diverting the flow channels to 11 of them away from the River Nile, and for 11 other factories, of which two manufacturers had complied with rules whereas 9 factories, including 7 Sugar factories and 2 Paper factories, are in full coordination with the Ministry of Environment for compliance by a consultancy firm. He added. By the end of this year (2017), the Nile will be totally free of direct industrial pollution.

There is another type of contaminants that the ministry worked on in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism to address it. Both Ministries started with about 250 boats for tourist trips, by expanding the capacity of "tanks" used as sewage storage for 24 hours by synchronizing it with the length of the trip.

The revamp of the naval transport system also includes the processing of most of the berths so that they are connected to public drainage networks to eliminate the Nile weeds to keep Damietta and Rosetta free. 

For more information, please contact: Mr. Essam Nada , the Egy-NDF National Technical  Support Expert                                                        

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