Case 1: Better Irrigation Practices

Case owner: Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI)

Egypt is facing a severe water shortage due to limited freshwater resources, population growth, and climate change. The country heavily relies on the Nile River, but its share of the river’s water for agriculture is limited by international agreements. Limited and irregular rainfall, and depleted groundwater worsen the situation. Inefficient water management practices and water pollution further contribute to the problem. To address this, Egypt wants to improve water management, innovate water use and irrigation techniques, and implement water-saving practices. It requires a combination of technologies to increase water unit production and ensure sustainable water use.

Case 2: Flash Flood Risk Reduction

Case owner: Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI)

Marsa Matruh Governorate in Egypt, located in an arid region with Wadi systems, faces vulnerability to flash floods due to its terrain and climate. Challenges include unpredictability, poor infrastructure, environmental impact, economic consequences, and public safety threats. A holistic approach is vital for the region to effectively address this situation. This involves enhanced monitoring, strategic land-use planning, flood preparedness, ecosystem conservation, and inter-authority collaboration. Additionally, rainwater harvesting can be implemented to address water scarcity issues, contributing to a greener Marsa Matruh while aligning with sustainable development goals amid climate change.

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Case 3: Water Footprint Compensation

Case owner: Water Footprint Implementation (WFI)

In March 2023, Water Footprint Implementation (WFI) successfully launched the Water Footprint Compensation initiative during the United Nations 2023 Water Conference in New York. Water compensation is a concept that implies industries to compensate their water use within the value chain, as additional step of lowering the water footprint. Water industries (local and international) can mitigate (the negative impacts of) their water consumption by taking action to replenish, restore or protect the water system from which the water has been abstracted. It is based on the principle of a litre for a litre and leads to more investments from industries in regular water management practices. Egypt is an arid country with scarce water resources. How can Egypt benefit from this concept of Water Footprint Compensation to ensure an increase in water availability or quality?

Case 4: Increasing water availability

Case owner: World Waternet (WWN)

Egypt’s main source of freshwater is the Nile River. The river supplies 55 billion m³ of freshwater every year, which represents 97% of all renewable water resources in Egypt. Overall, the Nile River constitutes about 90% Egypt’s water supply. Average rainfall in Egypt is estimated at 18 mm or 1.8 billion m³ per year, and Egypt has four different groundwater aquifers. Egypt is classified as a water scarce country as it has less than 1000 m³ of fresh water per year per capita. Water availability in the country is facing problems due to population growth, rapid economic development in the countries of the Nile Basin, pollution and environmental degradation, causing an annual water deficit of up to 7 billion m3. How can Egypt find new resources for drinking water, protect water from pollution and optimize the country’s resources?

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