The Ministry of Finance increased its allocations to the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater this year to EGP 1bn to strengthen the government’s efforts in resolving the rainwater crisis, according to a ministerial press release on Tuesday.
The ministry said in a statement: “The state attaches great importance to the wastewater sector and to the treatment of rainwater, which the coastal governorates suffer from annually.”
The holding company’s allocations in the budget of FY 2015/2016 were only EGP 750m before the amount was increased.
The ministry does not refuse any requests filed by governors to support wastewater and drinking water networks, said Minister of Finance Hany Kadry Dimian.
The governorate of Alexandria and some coastal governorates are suffering from heavy rains which led to rising water levels in streets, homes and commercial and industrial facilities, claiming the lives of a number of people, mainly due to electrocution.
The statement refuted claims that the Ministry of Finance had refused to increase allocations for Alexandria before the rain season, and only accepted to do so after the crisis.
When the governorate of Alexandria requested for an amount of EGP 75m from the Ministry of Finance during the current fiscal year, it was to cover its dues to the National Organisation for Social Insurance and Alexandria Electricity Distribution Company. Alexandria did not request funds for the replacement and renovation of the wastewater network in the governorate.
Dimian said he had already allocated funds worth EGP 75m for wastewater projects in Alexandria in the budget for FY 2013/2014, for the development of drainage networks and treatment plants. Funds for the same project were included in last year’s budget at EGP 25m. This year, EGP 30m were included within the budget, in addition to the EGP 75m that were recently approved.
