Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said has approved EGP 236m to support the National Authority for Potable Water and Sewerage’s (NOPWASD) plan to connect electricity to the Bahr Al-Baqar wastewater treatment plant.
The move comes as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2020/21 plan, and implements directives made by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
El-Said said that the Bahr Al-Baqar wastewater treatment plant is the largest in the world, with a capacity of 5m cubic metres (cbm) per day. It will also be used for the reclamation and cultivation of about 330,000 feddan of land east of the Suez Canal, in addition to the 70,000 feddan that are currently being cultivated.
The minister added that the plant is a component in the project to establish the Bahr Al-Baqar water drainage system, one of the most important projects under the Sinai Peninsula Development Program’s umbrella.
El-Said indicated that her Ministry is keen to provide the necessary support for the project’s implementation, and to implement the President’s directives. The project will support efforts to develop Sinai, invest in infrastructure, and improve services provided to citizens.
She added that it aims to optimally utilise water resources and reduce waste, and will work towards increasing agricultural area, especially in the Sinai Peninsula. In addition, the project will establish integrated agricultural development projects covering agricultural, animal, and industrial production.
The 190km Bahr Al-Baqar drainage system runs from southern Cairo to Sharqeya governorate, through the governorates of Qaliubiya and Daqahleya, and from Ismailia to Port Said.
