Dr. Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, met with Dr. Ahmed Abdelkader, a representative of a private sector company specializing in advanced technologies, to discuss potential collaboration and the integration of innovative solutions in water and wastewater services. This meeting aligns with the Ministry’s strategy to support and encourage private sector participation in implementing its vision for utilities.
The discussions covered various topics related to water and wastewater services, including the management of highly saline water produced from desalination processes and the extraction of valuable minerals. This approach not only supports Egypt’s growing desalination industry but also promotes the concept of a circular economy by improving the income of operating companies. The company representative presented their advanced technology in managing saline water through chemical desalination.
The technology offers scalable solutions for extracting minerals that might otherwise need to be imported, reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and mitigates the environmental impact of disposing of saline byproducts from desalination plants. Additionally, the representative showcased technologies for recycling electronic waste and the reuse of treated wastewater for various purposes. Their patented technology focuses on extracting valuable metals from electronic waste to produce batteries, contributing to a sustainable supply chain for battery production.
Dr. Ismail expressed the Ministry’s full support for innovative ideas that help preserve investments and maximize their benefits, emphasizing the importance of safe reuse technologies for treated water and sludge in various fields. He also highlighted the importance of learning from global expertise in these areas.
The Deputy Minister concluded the meeting by reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to fostering new and innovative ideas that enhance the quality of services provided to citizens and encourage private sector investment in human development and capacity building.
Dr. Ismail also noted that the Ministry’s scientific committee for the utilities sector will review the technology presented by the company to assess its potential application.
It is worth mentioning that the company involved in the discussions is affiliated with the University of Manchester, England, and focuses on sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective technological solutions, including the extraction of high-quality minerals using low-cost technologies.
