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Unconventional Water Resources and Agriculture in Egypt pp 429–453Cite as

Reuse of Treated Wastewater in Egypt: Challenges and Opportunities

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Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 75))

Abstract

Limited water resources in Egypt is the main factor driving the exploration of unconventional sources that can fulfill the water demands of the increasing population. Applying treated wastewater (TWW) to agriculture is a reliable, effective method of reducing the gap between current water demand and supply. Besides saving freshwater resources, long-term reuse of TWW can enhance the physiochemical properties of light-textured soil.

Pathogens and toxic chemical bioaccumulation are the main drawbacks of wastewater reuse in agriculture. Irrigation of non-edible crops with TWW is recommended under controlled management that complies with appropriate water quality standards. Monitoring the impact of reusing TWW will reduce health risks and environmental hazards. While Egypt’s total water supply for 2015 was 76.4 × 109 m3, the total refined (drinking/health use) water was 8.9 × 109 m3, which generated wastewater of around 5 × 109 m3. The primary, secondary, and tertiary treatments provided total TWW of 3.7 × 109 m3, with respective percentages of 16.8, 81.4, and 1.8%.

Several organizations in Egypt are tasked with wastewater management and reuse. In addition to the Egyptian laws, legislation, and regulations enacted to protect the environment and water resources from pollution, the Egyptian Code for reusing TWW classifies wastewater into four grades (A, B, C, and D) depending on the level of treatment. There are four key challenges to reusing TWW: social (public acceptance of wastewater reuse), management (crop selection, irrigation, and soil-based practices), human health risk, and environmental threats. There are significant opportunities to maximize the benefits of TWW reuse in Egypt as less than 75% of collected wastewater is currently being treated. Finally, reusing TWW in agriculture could be the most reliable solution to overcome water scarcity and help to sustain water resources in Egypt.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The term “water for drinking and healthy uses” is used as it is written in the publications of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics that refers to the household water uses.

  2. 2.

    1 feddan = 0.42 = hectare = 4,200 m2.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) and the CGIAR Fund Donors for supporting this research. Also, the authors would like to thank Dr. Biju George (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Cairo, Egypt) for his editorial support and encouragement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soils and Water Use Department, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt

    Tamer A. Elbana & Noura Bakr

  2. Soil and Water Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt

    Maha Elbana

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  1. Tamer A. Elbana
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  2. Noura Bakr
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  3. Maha Elbana
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Correspondence to Tamer A. Elbana .

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  1. Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Abdelazim M. Negm

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Elbana, T.A., Bakr, N., Elbana, M. (2017). Reuse of Treated Wastewater in Egypt: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Negm, A. (eds) Unconventional Water Resources and Agriculture in Egypt. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 75. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_46

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