Water, Sewage & Effluent November December 2018

The Egyptian government is set to invest USD83-million in water and sanitation projects in a bid to reduce the water deficit facing the country. This comes after the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources signed an agreement with the European Union to provide for cooperation under the National Plan for Water and Irrigation until 2037, as well as on some projects using modern irrigation and water treatment systems in drainage systems. According to the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources, Mohamed Abdel Aty, Egypt has a deficit of 21 billion cubic metres of water. To lessen the deficit, Abdel Aty said the government has decided to give direct support towards the water and sanitation projects, particularly in Upper Egypt. Though no details were provided on the distribution of this funding, Abdel Aty provided reassurance that part of the funding would be injected into drinking water and sanitation works related to infrastructure projects. He further added that the construction of the Abu Oweikal wastewater plant is also included in the financial plan. The plant was to have a final capacity of 500 000m 3 per day, but due to insufficient funding, the construction site is presently placed on hold. Abdel Aty said that a practicability study has already been carried out on the construction of the dam located in the valley of the Shalateen Basin, part of a territory located in south-east Egypt, and contested by Sudan. According to Sameh Sakr of the National Irrigation and Water Resources Authority, it will be the “largest dam in the eastern desert”. This dam, with a capacity of 7 000 000m 3 , will be used to collect rainwater, much of which will be used for irrigation. u Source: Construction Review online www.waterafrica.co.za Hansgrohe SE innovative products help save water and protect the environment. A study commissioned by the Hansgrohe Group shows that water consumption varies significantly around the world. South Africa’s water consumption far exceeds that of international benchmarks: The average water consumption in South Africa is 235 litres per person per day, compared to a world average of 185 litres. But, despite the exceptionally hot summer, South Africa as a whole is still far from imposing the kind of strict mandatory water restrictions that went into effect in Cape Town this year. Germans continue to lower consumption rates Some 555 cubic metres — this is the average amount of water consumed annually per person in Western Europe. That is quite a lot compared to sub-Saharan Africa where average annual per person consumption is 175 cubic metres. In global comparison, North America has the world’s highest consumption rates, ahead of Australia and New Zealand. Per person use in North America is 1 629 cubic metres, more than in any other region on Earth, exceeding that of sub-Saharan Africa nearly tenfold. But studies also show that over the past 28 years, per person drinking water consumption in Germany, for example, has dropped by about 20%. In 1990, Germans used as much as 147 litres of drinking water per day; over the years, this figure has declined to 123 litres daily per person. About 36% of this is used for bathing and showering, putting Germans in the above-average range. Americans use roughly 23% of their drinking water for personal hygiene; South Africans about 20 %. Germany has sufficient water resources despite the exceptionally long, dry summer — unlike California and Cape Town, where per person water usage has been restricted by law since 2018. With a use limit of 208 litres of water per person per day — to be lowered to 189 litres in the future — Californians still have considerably more water than the inhabitants of Cape Town. Having faced the risk of drought in February 2018, the South African government initially restricted water use in the South African legislative capital to 50 litres per person per day. Save water with state-of-the-art products Studies show that there are regions where water conservation really is important. In the Western Cape, water and energy consumption can be easily reduced with innovative products by Hansgrohe. “Hansgrohe’s EcoSmart technology lowers water consumption in showers, taps, and washbasin mixers by up to 60% compared to conventional products — without sacrificing design and ease of use,” says Jan Heisterhagen, vice-president Product Management at Hansgrohe SE. “And that’s good for the environment because the less water that is used, the less needs to be heated and the less energy is used.” As one of the first companies in the sanitation industry, Hansgrohe has been producing water and energy- saving products since the 1980s and is committed to turning daily interaction with water into a fresh and unique experience. u Water Sewage & Effluent November/December 2018 7 Egypt to invest USD83m in water projects The Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources signed an agreement with the European Union to provide for cooperation under the National Plan for Water and Irrigation until 2037. water Innovations make lower consumption possible

Water, Sewage & Effluent November December 2018 | Page 9