Egypt’s Irrigation Min. explains groundwater well licensing, penalties for violations

Egypt’s Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Hani Sweilam said on Tuesday that new amendments to the Water Resources and Irrigation Law impose stricter penalties on unlicensed groundwater well drilling.
Sweilam explained in a Facebook post that the law now requires prior approval from the ministry for any groundwater well, with fines and possible imprisonment for violations.
He stressed that deep groundwater is a non-renewable resource, unlike the River Nile, and warned that random drilling and excessive use threaten to deplete reserves and harm future generations.
The minister noted that the licensing process ensures fair water allocation among users and prevents over-extraction that could lead to salinity and project losses. He added that the ministry has simplified procedures, reduced bureaucracy, and launched a pilot online platform to accelerate applications and monitoring.
Sweilam said the system also covers supplementary shallow wells, which need permits to protect water quality and neighbouring rights. He urged farmers to focus on high-value, low-water crops to maximise returns from scarce resources.
The minister the move as part of Egypt’s efforts to strengthen groundwater governance under its “Irrigation 2.0” strategy.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: M. S. Salama