Improving Water Sustainability in Upper Egypt: The ISWS Project

 “The partnership between Egypt and the Netherlands in the water sector is a strong testament to our shared commitment to sustainable development. This partnership has been pivotal in addressing critical issues around water, sanitation, and hygiene in Upper Egypt.”That stated Mrs. Eva Witteman, Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Egypt at the closing event of the  Improving Sustainability of the WASH Sector in Upper Egypt (ISWS) project. This project, funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Egypt, has been running for 3.5 years and has helped make water and sanitation services better for many people.

The closing conference highlighted the project’s key results in improving water and sanitation services, shared by partners in Upper Egypt. One of the main goals was to help local communities get involved in managing water resources. The project introduced tools for people to evaluate water services in 16 districts, helping around 2.5 million people. Local residents were also trained in plumbing, maintenance, and business skills, allowing them to better manage water systems.

Another impactful outcome of the ISWS project, has been the enhancement of the complaints system, which has reduced the response time for water-related complaints by 15-25 days. This achievement was made possible through the first-time collaboration between the Ministry of Local Development and the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) at the local level, creating a more efficient integrated complaints response system.

Furthermore, the project has made great strides in ensuring the sustainability of water infrastructure, by enhancing institutional and technical capabilities. This included helping local utilities reduce water losses, improve energy use, and make sure water quality was high. The project introduced new tools, such as PowerBI for data analysis, and installed 35 Remote Terminal Units in Sohag. Two water treatment plants in Assiut and Sohag were the first to get ISO 50001/2018 certifications, and solar panels were installed in Assiut and Qena water companies. In addition, Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to update information on water hazards and quality.

Sharing knowledge between different groups was another important part of the project. Workshops helped spread ideas on reducing water losses, working with communities, and improving cooperation between donors. This sharing of knowledge helped improve practices in the water sector.

As the project draws to a close, we would like thank the partners who made this success possible: the Embassy of the Netherlands in Egypt, Waterschap Brabantse Delta, Brabant Water N.V., VEI, the Ministry of Local Development and the Ministry of Housing in Egypt, and HCWW. Their continued support has been instrumental in advancing sustainable water management practices in Upper Egypt, helping to build a brighter future for communities in the region.