In line with Eng. Randa El-Menshawy, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, following up on the implementation of the cooperation protocol signed between the Regulatory Agency for Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater and Consumer Protection and the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions, which aims to launch extensive community and electronic awareness campaigns to rationalize water consumption, reduce negative practices, and inform citizens about the provisions of Law No. 172 of 2025 regulating drinking water supply and wastewater services.
The Regulatory Agency and the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions organized an awareness seminar titled “From Regulation to Society: Toward an Effective Partnership to Protect Consumers and Preserve Water Resources.”
The seminar was attended by the heads of regional and specialized federations of NGOs and civil society institutions across the governorates, along with representatives of the Regulatory Agency for Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater and Consumer Protection and the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater.
The seminar was held as part of the agency and federation’s efforts to move the partnership from the stage of coordination and cooperation to joint fieldwork. This aims to expand the reach of awareness messages and deliver them to different segments of society, particularly in the most underserved areas. It also seeks to strengthen community participation in preserving drinking water and wastewater facilities and water resources.
The seminar addressed the concept and objectives of regulation and the responsibilities of the Regulatory Agency for Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater and Consumer Protection. It also introduced the entities operating in the drinking water and wastewater sector and explained the division of roles between the regulatory agency and service providers.
The agency is responsible for regulation, oversight, and protecting consumer rights, while service providers operate and maintain facilities and provide services to citizens. The seminar also discussed the partnership between the regulatory agency and the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions as an integrated partnership that goes beyond the concept of cooperation.
It aims to expand awareness efforts, transform legal and technical messages into simple and clear information that reaches citizens, and benefit from the geographical reach of NGOs and their ability to communicate directly with different segments of society.
Participants emphasized that protecting facilities and rationalizing water consumption are not the responsibility of a single entity but a shared community responsibility. They noted that successful awareness efforts require partners capable of reaching citizens directly. This is made possible through the network of NGOs, civil society institutions, and volunteers operating across different governorates.
Dr. Mohamed Hassan Mostafa, Executive Chairman of the Regulatory Agency for Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater and Consumer Protection, emphasized that the partnership with civil society institutions is a key pillar of the agency’s strategy to raise awareness and strengthen consumer rights protection.
He noted that preserving water and ensuring sustainable drinking water and wastewater services depend not only on regulation and oversight but also on citizens’ awareness and active participation in protecting facilities and water resources.
He explained that Law No. 172 of 2025 provides an advanced legislative framework for regulating the drinking water and wastewater sector. It strengthens regulation and oversight mechanisms while protecting consumers’ rights. He stressed the importance of turning the law and its provisions into simple and clear awareness messages that enable citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities and apply them in their daily lives.
Dr. Mohamed Hassan emphasized that cooperation with the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions represents a practical model of integration between the regulatory agency and civil society institutions.
This is supported by the extensive reach of NGOs and their ability to communicate directly with citizens. He explained that reaching different segments of society, especially in villages and underserved areas, requires coordinated efforts and unified awareness messages.
Dr. Talaat Abdel Kawy, Chairman of the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions, emphasized that cooperation with the Regulatory Agency for Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater and Consumer Protection represents an important model of partnership between state institutions and civil society.
He noted that preserving water and rationalizing its use require integrated roles and joint efforts from all parties. Dr. Talaat Abdel Kawy explained that the role of NGOs is not limited to delivering awareness messages to citizens.
It also includes listening to citizens, monitoring their needs and problems, and communicating them to the relevant authorities. This makes civil society a genuine partner in supporting the service system and strengthening consumer protection.
He added that the General Federation of NGOs and Civil Society Institutions has an extensive network of associations and volunteers across different governorates. This represents a valuable resource that can be used to implement awareness programs, seminars, and community meetings and reach the most underserved groups, particularly in rural areas.
Dr. Talaat Abdel Kawy highlighted the importance of informing citizens about their rights and responsibilities under the Water Law. He stressed that citizens’ awareness of their rights should be matched by awareness of their responsibility to protect facilities, use water rationally, and preserve water resources.
The federation chairman emphasized that the next phase should move from traditional awareness efforts toward creating tangible changes in community behavior. This can be achieved through continuous and measurable programs based on the needs of each governorate and the nature of the problems faced by its citizens, while making use of the capabilities of regional federations, NGOs, and civil society institutions to implement these programs locally.