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WATERHOLIC A DROP OF WATER, A DROP OF HOPE

ESPERINO GENIKO LYKEIO LAMIAS THE WATER ISSUE IN EGYPT EGYPT : THE GIFT OF THE NILE

In ancient times all great civilizations flourished near or around water, among them the Ancient Egyptian civilization. Life in ancient Egypt depended on the River Nile.

The River Nile provided water, food, transportation, materials, excellent soil for growing food and also facilitated trade and communication among people. The length of the Nile River is approximately 6.695 km and it is believed to be the longest river in the world. It has two major tributaries the Blue Nile and the White Nile.

Geography, Climate and Population Egypt lies in the northeastern corner of the African continent and has a total area of about 1 million km2. The Egyptian terrain consists of a vast desert plateau interrupted by the Nile Valley and Delta which occupy 4% of the total country area.

Most of the cultivated land is located close to the banks of the Nile River, its main branches and canals, and in the Nile Delta. The total cultivated area is about 3% of the total area of the country. There is no forest land.

Hot dry summers and mild winters characterize Egypt’s climate Hot dry summers and mild winters characterize Egypt’s climate. Rainfall is very low, irregular and unpredictable. Annual rainfall ranges between a maximum of about 200mm in the northern coastal region to a minimum of nearly zero in the south, with an annual average of 51mm. Population is estimated at about 80 million. 97 % of all people live in the Nile Valley and Delta. Population density reaches more than 1.165 inhabitants/km2 in these areas while in the desert drops to 1.2 inhabitants/km2.

WATER RESOURCES Egypt’s main source of freshwater is the Nile River. The river supplies 55.5 billion m3/yr, which represents 97% of all renewable water resources in Egypt. 1.3 billion m3/yr effective rainfall on the northern strip of the Delta. There are four different groundwater aquifers: the Nile Aquifer, the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer, the Moghra Aquifer and the Coastal Aquifer. The total ground water volume is estimated to be 2 billion m3/yr. The main obstacles in utilizing this huge resource are the great depths (up to 1500m in some areas) and deteriorating water quality at the increasing depths.

The 1959 Nile Waters Agreement The Nile, the world’s longest river flows through ten countries in northeastern Africa before it ends up in the Mediterranean Sea. Under the 1959 Nile Waters Agreement between Egypt and Sudan, Egypt’s share of water is 55.5 billion m3/yr and Sudan’s 18.5 billion m3/yr .

The Aswan High Dam (1960-1970) was built to help regulate flooding of the Nile River. Before the dam, years that featured high levels of water could wipe out crops while years of low level water could produce famine and drought. The dam helps control these water levels and generates hydroelectricity but it causes the soil to become less fertile and this leads farmers to use artificial fertilisers.

Water allocation in Egypt The total amount of water used in Egypt is estimated at 68.3 km3.This includes 59 km3 for agriculture (86%), 5.3 km3 for domestic use (8%) and 4.0 km3 for industry (6%).

According to official sources about 96% of the rural population and 99% of the urban population has access to drinking water sources and almost 100% of the urban population and 96% of the rural population has access to improved sanitation. On the other hand people complain of poor water service quality particularly in rural areas. There are districts which do not receive piped water, problems with low water pressure and frequent water cuts or available water during day time. These problems lead many people to use water from canals which could be hazardous to health.

In addition drinking water quality is often below standards leaving lots of people without access to safe water and proper sanitation. There are sewage leaks which contaminate the surrounding streets, canals and groundwater. Some water treatment plants are not properly maintained and inefficient in removing parasites, viruses and harmful microorganisms so that untreated and unfit for human consumption water is provided to the residents. It is estimated that many people especially children die from water related diseases.

Water crisis in Egypt Egypt is classified as a water scarce country as it has less than 1000m3 of fresh water per year per capita and with its rapidly growing population this will be less than 500m3 in the next few years.

Factors affecting Egypt’s water security Population Explosion Egypt’s population is mushrooming at an alarming rate and multiplies the stress on the country’s water supply by requiring more water for domestic consumption and increased irrigation water use to meet higher food demands. Inefficient Irrigation Egypt receives a small amount of rainfall, and only a small part is arable and agricultural land, with the rest being desert. This leads to excessive watering, the use of wasteful irrigation techniques involving a network of canals and sub-canals and can decrease water availability.

Pollution Agricultural runoffs containing pollutants from pesticides and herbicides, industrial effluents often highly toxic and untreated municipal sewage are being recklessly dumped into the Nile, gradually making its water unfit for human consumption. Regional Upheavals Egypt controls the majority of the Nile water due to an agreement. However, countries along the Nile are taking advantage of the political strife in Egypt and are gaining more control over the rights for the Nile. With the Nile supplying more than 95% of its freshwater, losing some of the water supply can cause additional problems for Egypt.

The water issue in Egypt has taken alarming proportions and water scarcity could endanger the country’s stability, regional dominance as well as the development of its economy because they strongly depend on the ability to conserve and manage its water resources. THANK YOU