Dr. Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, recently held an extensive meeting to address the water supply needs of Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate. The meeting aimed to assess the requirements for both residential and tourist areas within the region and aligns with the Ministry’s ongoing plan to support development in areas such as the northern Gulf of Suez, the southern coast of the Red Sea, and tourist zones south of Galala.
The meeting was attended by key officials, including Dr. Mohamed Hassan, Chairman of the Regulatory Authority for Drinking Water and Wastewater; Eng. Assem Shokr, Vice Chairman of the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater; Eng. Nora Tagian, Head of the Central Utilities Department; Eng. Asmaa Makhlouf, Head of the New Suez City Authority; and Eng. Ahmed Shaaban, Chairman of the Red Sea Water and Wastewater Company.
Dr. Ismail opened the meeting by welcoming the attendees and stressing the importance of meeting water demands for residential and tourist areas in the Red Sea Governorate. He highlighted the potential of utilizing existing desalination plants, particularly the Galala and Ain Sokhna desalination facilities, to fulfill these needs. This approach would involve thorough monitoring and governance to ensure effective resource allocation and oversight across the region.
Eng. Assem Shokr presented an overview of water requirements for each city within the governorate, identifying the current water sources and distribution capacity. He also proposed strategies to maximize the output from desalination plants in Galala and Ain Sokhna, suggesting the possibility of supplying water to areas along the coast, from Ain Sokhna to Hurghada, including Zafarana.
Officials from the New Urban Communities Authority also provided data on water usage by residents along the Ain Sokhna-Zafarana water line, detailing the projected demand based on historical consumption and the activities of contracted entities along the route. They emphasized the need to explore all available water sources to meet these requirements.
Dr. Ismail reviewed the current status of the Ain Sokhna desalination plant, which is expected to add a capacity of 70,000 cubic meters per day by next year. This expansion is anticipated to support development in the northern Gulf of Suez and meet the water demands of areas in the southern part of the Red Sea Governorate and tourist regions near Galala. He also underscored the urgency of initiating planned desalination projects in locations such as Safaga, El Quseir, Marsa Alam, and Ras Gharib.
In conclusion, Dr. Ismail stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration between all relevant authorities to expand development efforts and address the challenges associated with water supply in the Red Sea region.
