We Need EGP 80 Bln To Deliver Sanitation For Deprived Areas: Khalifa

Dr. Abdel Kawi Khalifa, Egypt’s Drinking Water and Sanitation Utilities Minister, has confirmed that inadequate funding is one of the main obstacles which is facing the Utilities Ministry’s work within this period and which is nearly needs EGP 80 billion so as to deliver the sanitation services to deprived areas ,equivalent to 50% from the population.

The Minister has emphasized that there is no agreement with the Housing and Urban Communities Ministry yet, in order to enter the utilities into the new areas where the ministry plans to put up for investors in the coming period, because these lands are not selected till now.

Khalifa added to Amwal Al Ghad  that the government will offer 10 drafts for infrastructure within the next period. the major part will be implemented by Public and Private partnership (ppp) system and to start Abu Rawash plant with capacity 1.6 million m3 with cost EGP 4 billion.

Khalifa has illustrated that the ministry will conclude about 118 drinking water drafts in the coming June and that it is scheduled for 72 drafts to enter sanitation service before mid-year, in addition to 178 drafts for sanitation villages ranging between (networks, pumping station & expulsion line ) with financial appropriations estimated at EGP 4.7 billion.

Furthermore, Khalifa has pointed out for a cooperating protocol with Misr El Kheir Foundation to start delivering  water services and sanitation to 400 villages as well as integrate the National Authority for Drinking Water &Sanitation and  Executive Device under the Holding Company for Drinking Water’s umbrella so as to coordinate and unified the bodies which responsible for delivering drinking water and sanitation services to the deprived areas.

Moreover, maximizing the role of regulatory system as a regulator along with the delivery of water services for a number of villages and governorates notably Sohag, Matrouh, Red Sea and Cairo.