Engineer Mamdouh Raslan, President of the Holding Company for Potable Water and Wastewater, said that reducing flood risks and early warning systems are common topics between the Egyptian and Dutch governments, and efforts must be intensified in this field, and an integrated strategy must be built in cooperation between all concerned parties, including government ministries, the private sector, and academic and research entities. And civil society organizations to develop a comprehensive vision and road map for optimal dealing with rainwater and floods, especially in light of the climate changes that negatively affect all countries of the world.
This came during the participation of the Egyptian delegation in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, which includes members of the Egyptian-Dutch Advisory Council for Water from the Ministries of Water Resources, Irrigation, Agriculture, and the Holding Company for Potable Water and Sanitation. To discuss ways to support and enhance cooperation in the areas of water, especially the issues of planning and management of water resources, and to exchange experiences and advanced technology in the field of maximizing water returns, improving water quality, sewage treatment techniques, and integrated management of coastal areas within the framework of European support for Cairo’s efforts to achieve water security.
He explained the importance of establishing an early warning center for rain forecasting according to scientific foundations, equipped with modern equipment and trained personnel similar to the one in the Netherlands. He added that in the coming years there must be alternative sources and solutions to reduce the negative effects and benefit from rainwater.
For his part, Dr. 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. Therefore, There is an effort being made in this field by the Holding Company for Potable Water and Wastewater in cooperation with agencies, ministries and civil society organizations.
Abdel Wahab added that the holding company’s participation aims to discuss the latest methods of sewage treatment techniques, dealing with pressing problems, how to deal with water pollutants in canals and drains, and innovative and unconventional solutions for producing and purifying drinking water.
In a related context, Abdel Wahab reviewed the sewage treatment project for the polluted villages of Lake Qarun, which number 119 villages, funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Investment Bank, in addition to a grant provided by the European Union, and overcoming existing problems, which contributes to reducing The level of pollution and salinity in the lake.
He added that low-cost methods to reduce pollution loads in the Al-Batta Drain and the Wadi Drain will be discussed with the Dutch side, especially the possibility of establishing a treatment system using wetlands.
Quoted from Al-Ahram Gate website
