Egypt: African Development Bank board approves €109 million to transform sewage coverage in Upper Egypt rural areas

The initiative is in line with the Bank’s water sector policy, which promotes efficient, equitable and sustainable development through integrated water resources management

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, December 17, 2019/ — The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (https://www.AfDB.org/) has approved a €109 million facility for the development of sewage disposal and wastewater treatment plants for rural areas in Luxor Governorate in Egypt’s Upper Nile region.

The Integrated Rural Sanitation in Upper Egypt – Luxor (IRSUE-Luxor) project is set to boost sewage coverage in the region from 6 percent to 55 percent, improving the quality of life of citizens, including women and children, who are most affected by poor sanitation.

The facility consists of a €108 million loan from the Bank, and a grant of € 1 million from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI)- an Africa-wide initiative hosted by the African Development Bank.

“The Bank’s support under the Integrated Rural Sanitation in Upper Egypt – Luxor will develop more than 8 sewer networks and pump stations and 2 wastewater treatment plants located in the desert areas of El Tod, and El Keman El Matana,” said Mohamed El Azizi, the Bank’s Director General for the North Africa region.

The network will serve approximately 22,000 households (161,929 inhabitants). The households in satellite villages that will not be covered by the sewer network will benefit from an improved onsite sanitation service, which involves sludge treatment in the wastewater treatment plants.

IRSUE-Luxor contributes to the National Rural Sanitation Programme (NRSP) established by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Communities and aims at expanding access to sanitation services from 34% currently (national wide) up to 60% in 2030.

The operation will support ongoing sector reforms that will scale up wastewater collecting, conveying and treating infrastructure, thus contributing to increased coverage of improved sanitation services, leading to a cleaner and healthier environment.

As one of several initiatives supported by the African Development Bank in Egypt to optimize the use of the country’s water resources, this intervention will enable about 30,000 cubic meter (m3) per day of treated wastewater to be discharged into drainage and irrigation canals and will be re-used to enhance agricultural output.

Furthermore, the project includes a staff capacity- building component and the strengthening of a performance-based culture within the Luxor Water and Wastewater Company.

The initiative is in line with the Bank’s water sector policy, which promotes efficient, equitable and sustainable development through integrated water resources management. In addition, the operation supports tariff regulation to achieve full cost recovery, which is one of the basic principles of the Bank’s water sector policy.

IRSUE-Luxor will enable the Bank to consolidate its commitment to support the water and sanitation sector in Egypt, through an integrated approach combining sector reforms and infrastructure development.

The Bank will strengthen the country systems, focusing on results and sustainability, promoting good governance in the sanitation sector, and increasing sanitation rate in a very vulnerable area.