2005年-世界发展银行全球_Arab_Republic_of_Egypt___Integrated_Water_Resources_Management_Plan_81页_1mb

Summary of the Integrated Water Resources Management Plan for the Arab Republic of Egypt

Core Content

The Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (IWRM Plan) for Egypt, prepared by the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) in June 2005, outlines a strategic framework for transitioning from the current water management practices to a more integrated and sustainable approach. This plan is intended to complement the National Water Resources Plan (NWRP, 2004) and address its gaps by proposing 39 actions categorized into 11 major intervention areas. These actions are prioritized and scheduled for short, medium, and long-term implementation.

The plan is driven by the need to address supply and demand imbalances, improve water quality, and enhance institutional and financial frameworks. It also emphasizes multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary coordination, public-private participation (PPP), and trans-boundary cooperation, especially in the context of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Main Challenges and Responses

Challenges

• Fixed water supply and growing demand due to population increase, industrial expansion, and improved living standards.
• Water quality degradation caused by pollution from drainage water reuse, urban and rural sanitation, and industrial effluents.
• Inefficient water use and sustainability concerns in both surface and groundwater systems.
• Weak institutional and financial frameworks that hinder effective management and service delivery.

Responses

• The NWRP (2004) was developed to address the supply-demand imbalance and improve physical infrastructure.
• A transitional strategy is needed to align current practices with IWRM principles.
• The IWRM Plan serves as an action-oriented implementation framework to facilitate the transition to an integrated water management system.
• Stakeholder engagement, including the formation of Water Users Associations (WUA) and Water Boards, is emphasized to improve local participation and accountability.
• The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) has initiated reform efforts to enhance institutional capacity, financial sustainability, and coordination with other sectors.

Key Sections of the Plan

Chapter 1: Background and Context

• IWRM is defined as a holistic approach to managing water and land resources in a coordinated framework to ensure equity, sustainability, and economic and social welfare.
• The main drivers for reform include:
  • Supply/demand imbalances
  • Water quality deterioration and health/environmental risks
  • Weak service delivery, reliability, and financial sustainability
• The IWRM Plan is a complementary, action-oriented implementation framework to the NWRP and is expected to be periodically reviewed.

Chapter 2: Current Water Resources Management Setup and Practices

• Freshwater Supply:
  • The Nile River provides 97% of Egypt's annual renewable water resources.
  • Annual renewable water supply is 56.8 BCM, with a per capita share of 800 m³/y in 2004, projected to decrease to 600 m³/y by 2025.
  • Non-renewable and non-conventional resources (e.g., groundwater, drainage reuse, desalination) are also important.
• Water Demand:
  • Agriculture is the largest consumer at 86%, followed by domestic (6%) and industrial (8%).
  • Irrigation is expected to expand from 7.985 million feddans (1997) to 11.026 million feddans (2017).
  • Municipal water demand is expected to increase by 1.4 times by 2017, with industrial demand projected to double.
• Water Quality:
  • Surface water quality deteriorates downstream, especially in the northern lakes.
  • Wastewater discharge into the Nile is 3.8 BCM/yr, with only 35% treated.
  • Industrial effluents contribute to 1.3 BCM/yr of untreated wastewater.
  • Drainage water returning to the Nile increases salinity and nutrient levels, affecting aquatic life.
  • Water hyacinth proliferation is a growing concern due to increased nutrients.

Key Interventions and Categories

The IWRM Plan proposes 39 actions across 11 categories:

1. Institutional Reform and Strengthening
2. Policies and Legislations
3. Physical Interventions
4. Capacity Building
5. Technological and Information Systems
6. Water Quality Management
7. Economic and Financial Framework
8. Research
9. Raising Awareness for IWRM
10. Monitoring and Evaluation
11. Trans-boundary Cooperation

These interventions are designed to ensure smooth transition to an integrated water management system over the next 15 years.

Institutional and Organizational Structure

• MWRI is the central authority for water resources management, with two major departments and four main authorities:

  • Irrigation Department (ID)
  • Mechanical and Electrical Department (MED)
  • Egyptian Public Authority for Drainage Projects (EPADP)
  • Egyptian Survey Authority
  • Coastal Protection Authority
  • High Aswan Dam Authority
  • National Water Research Center (NWRC), including 12 research institutes, Central Laboratory for Environment Quality Monitoring (CLEQM), and Strategic Research Unit (SRU).

• MHUNC oversees municipal water supply and sanitation, including:

  • National Organization for Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage (NOPWASD)
  • General Organization for Sanitary Drainage in Cairo (GOSDC)
  • General Organization for Greater Cairo Water Supply (GOGCWS)
  • Alexandria General Organization for Sanitary Drainage (AGOSD)
  • Alexandria Water General Authority (AWGA)
  • Suez Canal Authority

Key Stakeholders and Collaboration

• Stakeholders include:
  • MWRI and MALR (agricultural and irrigation management)
  • MHUNC (municipal and industrial water supply)
  • MoHP, MoSEA, MoLD, and EEAA (environmental and health sectors)
• Collaboration with World Bank, FAO, USAID, and consultants is emphasized for technical support, policy development, and implementation.
• A technical secretariat will be established within MWRI to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the IWRM Plan's implementation.

Conclusion

The IWRM Plan is a comprehensive strategy to streamline Egypt's water management system into a more integrated, sustainable, and efficient model. It addresses the current challenges in water supply, demand, and quality, and proposes actionable interventions to ensure long-term water security and environmental protection. The plan also emphasizes institutional reform, multi-sectoral coordination, and international collaboration to support its implementation.