Egyptian Water Partnership

The establishment of the Egyptian Water Partnership which helped provoking the involvement of the civil society in the IWRM, with particular emphasis on the pollution abatement and prevention aspects.

The EWP through its members and partners supported solid waste management mechanisms, through a collaboration activity and partnership among local administration, youth, government represented by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Civil society.

Through a written agreement among the mentioned partnerships the roles of each partner was specified and implementation took place under the monitoring of the EWP. The completion of the mechanism occurred in Qowesna, Monofeya Governorate.

Another dimension with regard to the water pollution abatement and prevention, was the joint activity of EWP with other International NGO and a Community Development association (CDA) and the local society by providing sanitation services by the development of a low cost sewage water treatment mechanism before drainage into agriculture drains in Noweira in Beni Suef.

on top and above, the awareness raising of people and particularly children was considered the backbone for water conservation and protection, therefore a campaign was held in parallel on the national level and targeting the children of ages 6 to 12 years old.

4. Description and location of the problem and activity as implemented

Water resources pollution can be attributed to discharge of untreated waste, dumping of industrial effluent, and run-off from agricultural fields, industrial growth & urbanization have serious and adverse impacts on freshwater bodies especially if accompanied by lack of awareness.

Lack of sanitation services coverage for the poor cause untreated or inadequately treated municipal sewage which is a major source of groundwater and surface water pollution in the developing countries. The organic material that is discharged with municipal waste into the watercourses uses substantial oxygen for biological degradation thereby upsetting the ecological balance of rivers and lakes. Sewage also carries microbial pathogens that are the cause of the spread of disease.

Mubarak industrial city, Quesna, Munofeya Governorate in Egypt was selected as an industrial area in which water resources are polluted by industrial, sewage, and solid wastes that of course have impacts on surface and Ground water resources, planning and implementation was started in November 2003.

Improvement of the existing conditions of the water resources in the area was expected through water pollution prevention and abatement.

While Noweira village in Beni Suef governorate was selected to carry out the low cost sanitation service coverage where 40 households of the poorest segment of the community had no sanitation coverage. The action was accomplished in March 2005.

A national awareness campaign directed to the children about water issues, accompanied on ground action. The campaign started on 22 March 2005. And it was predictable to design and print awareness material directed to children ranged from 6 to 12 years old carrying the main objectives of the campaign to increase the children awareness and knowledge on Egypt’s water resources, water scarcity and means for water conservation and water pollution and means for water quality protection.

One of the major difficulties is coordinating between different stakeholders including the Governor, relevant ministries, private sectors, local administration authorities, etc also searching for a financial aid was an obstacle, as we have to negotiate with different public and private donors to accomplish the local action.

5. Impact of implemented activity: social, economical, environmental

Safe water supplies and environmental sanitation is important to protect the environment, to improve health and alleviate poverty.

As Water-borne epidemics and health hazards in the aquatic environment are mainly due to improper management of water resources. So Proper management of water resources through coordination and collaboration between different stakeholders such as public sectors and private sectors in implementation of local actions has become the need of the hour as this would ultimately lead to a cleaner and healthier environment.

Protect the public health from the adverse impacts of water pollution as protecting the water resources minimize the spreading of water born diseases, and it will support healthy communities of fish, plants, and other aquatic life, and will support uses such as fishing, and drinking water quality and prevention of Groundwater contamination.

6. Types of stakeholders involved

The local action involves different types of stakeholders either public or private and national or international each has a role in planning, implementing, and sustaining the local action.

In the local action the public sector, give the authority, services to facilitate the accomplishment of the action and some times the financial support while the private sectors mainly participate through funding the activities.

Governmental agencies

· Monofia Governorate

· Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation

· Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs

· Ministry of Youth

NGOs

· The Community Development Association of Noweira village, which is a NGOs held in Noweira village.

International Organizations

· Center of Environment and Development for Arab region and Europe (CEDARE), which is an intergovernmental organization.

· United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as an international organization.

· Integrated Care Society

· The International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

7. Means of stakeholder involvement and role they played

A cooperation protocol between EWP, Monofia Governorate, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs and Ministry of Youth, was signed. In which the partners agreed upon regular solid waste collection at the selected locations, Garbage bins were purchased and installed in the selected locations and plastic bags were purchased to be changed on daily basis.

The terms of the protocol stated the roles of each party as follows:

The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation will clean the water canals and channels and allocate awareness signs in the mentioned locations.

The Monofia Governorate agreed on the regular solid waste collection at the selected locations through its executive agencies.

The Ministry of Environmental Affairs agreed upon participation through its office in the Governorate by continuous supervision for the implementation of the local action, and to ensure the commitment of the families in the area not to dissent the environmental law No. 4 for year 1994 and other laws concerning environmental protection from all types of pollution.

The Ministry of Youth agreed to allocate young participants to supervise the collection process, and increase the families’ awareness in the area, so as to ensure sustainability of the action and to prepare a report about the proceeding of the action to be submitted to the EWP on periodical Basics

The Egyptian water partnership’s role is purchasing and installing Garbage bins in the selected locations, purchasing plastic bags to be changed on daily basis and to coordinate the whole process.

Anther cooperation protocol was signed between EWP and the Community Development Association of Noweira village, in which EWP developed a mechanism in a pilot area in the Noweira village for providing sanitation services that, produces effluents that comply with standards set for sewage disposal in agricultural drains. It includes a septic tank consisting of three chambers, chamber for anaerobic treatment and two filters. In addition, installing a pipe network for sanitation to connect the houses to the septic tank and to construct a pipe to connect to a “plant gravel channel” where it drains to “Gohar” drain thus providing low cost sanitation services. In the mean time, it drains good quality sewage into the agriculture drainage network, thus reducing the pollution load on the drains in the area.

the EWP carried out the national awareness campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI), Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs (Green Corner), Center of Environment and Development for Arab region and Europe (CEDARE), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Integrated Care Society and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Where the contribution of each included expertise, cost sharing, and fund raising.

The role of EWP is the coordinatation of all activities between all partners.

8. Long-term commitment and targets

The protocols signed help ensuring the sustainability.

The raised awareness on water conservation and protection and water related problems would be the real force to drive the community to initiate actions for water protection.

9. Originality and Innovative Ideas

Using plant life to treat dirty drainage water heavily polluted with sewage, which then flows into the agriculture drainage.

Demonstration of “plant-Gravel-Channel” as a low-cost and efficient method of treating large bodies of water in rural areas.

The local action will pilot an innovative low-cost method for cleaning polluted waters. It aims to reduce the level of municipal sewage pollutants flowing into Gohar agriculture drainage and to improve the overall water quality of irrigation. This will be done through the use of plants in the channel, which will filter polluted water coming through a drainage system into the agriculture drainage.

The technology is less than one-tenth the cost of other techniques and at the same time, it is environmentally friendly, no chemicals are used and finally, the maintenance is very simple compared to other methods.

After the water is treated flows into Gahar agriculture drainage to be mixed with fresh water in certain percentage and reused to irrigate local farms.

Working closely with the local community to inform them about the new technology and to explore with them means for taking maximum advantage of the treated water and also protecting ground water from pollution.

10. Costs involved

Total cost: 100, 000 Euro

Donors:

ý Dutch Embassy

ý Local Communities

ý Egyptian Water Partnership (EWP)

ý Center of Environment and Development for Arab region and Europe (CEDARE)

ý The Commercial International Bank (CIB)

ý Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI)

ý United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

ý Integrated Care Society and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

11. Lessons learned

The Low Cost Sanitation services can be considered as an activity which will provide affordable options for the provision of on site sanitation to low income households and the poor. Additionally, The Low Cost Sanitation services will have a Community Awareness program as an integral part.

The activity can be implemented in other areas having the same conditions as Low Cost Waste Treatment have proven success hence could be replicated widely especially in rural areas.