Engineer Mamdouh Raslan, President of the Holding Company for Potable and Wastewater Water, said that strategic measures to adapt to floods are among the important issues that we have all paid attention to following climate change and the fall of unprecedented amounts of water that exceeded the carrying capacity of networks in Alexandria Governorate in 2015, and served as an early warning to confront the dangers of natural phenomena. Such as floods and torrents.
This came during the opening of a workshop on “Strategic Measures to Adapt to Floods in Egyptian Cities” to discuss mechanisms for establishing early warning, confronting expected risks, and benefiting from rainwater.

Raslan stressed cooperation with the Meteorological Authority to determine the amounts of rain in advance and its locations, develop emergency plans, and deploy equipment.
He pointed out that there is cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands, and we seek to have in Egypt an early warning center for predicting rain according to scientific principles, equipped with modern equipment and trained personnel similar to the one in the Netherlands.

For his part, Dr. said: Chris Zinfenbergen, Professor of Floods in Urban Systems at the UNESCO Foundation, said that there is cooperation between the Netherlands and Egypt in the field of early warning of flood risks, noting that the current century is the century of confronting the risks of floods and torrents, and work must be intensified following these climate phenomena to reduce the negative effects.

As explained by Dr. George de Zwart, head of the economics department and agricultural advisor at the Dutch Agency, said that the current model for confronting floods and rains in Alexandria should be emulated on the Egyptian coasts.

He added that reducing flood risks and early warning systems are common topics between the Egyptian and Dutch governments, so we must make every effort to be able to survive in the face of the many challenges we face, noting that during the next 35 years the population of Egypt will double; Therefore, there must be alternative sources and solutions to reduce the negative effects and benefit from rainwater.

He pointed out that the water conference next April in the Netherlands will support areas of cooperation and efforts to support the water sector through bilateral efforts with Egypt.

For his part, Mamdouh Taha, Secretary General of Damietta Governorate, stressed that participating in the workshop to develop unconventional solutions in light of the existing technological progress; Whether from rainwater or floods and early warning.

Dr. said. Ahmed Abdel-Al, head of the Meteorological Authority, said that the risk of floods is a turning point, and the Meteorological Authority cooperates with the Holding Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation and its subsidiaries, in what is known as early warning, indicating that the speed of rain falling may exceed the capacity of the equipment, and the companies deal with their capabilities to pump out large amounts of water. Water as quickly as possible.

For his part, Dr. said: Refaat Abdel Wahab, research and development consultant at the Holding Company, said that protecting Egyptian cities from floods and torrents has become an urgent matter in order to preserve human and natural resources and public and private facilities, and that developing them in the long term is considered an element of sustainable development, so there is an effort being made in this field. From the Holding Company for Potable Water and Wastewater in cooperation with agencies, ministries and civil society organizations.

Quoted from Al-Ahram Gate website