This document discusses groundwater management challenges in Egypt and lessons learned. It addresses issues like overuse of groundwater by agriculture leading to pollution, lack of monitoring and enforcement exacerbating unsustainability. Case studies show traditional oasis management protecting resources and more recent problems of saline intrusion addressed through brackish groundwater development and monitoring. Treated sewage reuse requires attention to groundwater impacts. Lessons emphasize integrated management, monitoring, stakeholder participation, awareness, enforcement and considering both fresh and non-fresh water resources.

1. GROUNDWATER
MANAGEMENT AND WATER
GOVERNANCE
THE EGYPTIAN EXPERIENCE
Fatma Abdel Rahman Attia
Professor Emeritus, Research Institute for
Groundwater
The National Water Research Center
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation

2. One of the fundamentals of IWRM is the
involvement of all stakeholders and beneficiaries
with the objective should be to transform the
competition between stakeholders into a form of
cooperation that achieves the largest overall
revenue with the least Sectoral harm.
Groundwater protection aims at preventing nonbeneficial uses of the resource and prevention
of its degradation (quantitative and qualitative);
leading to a sustainable development of the
resource base and activities based on it.
A special case is non-renewable groundwater,
where the word sustainability is not
straightforward.

3. Issues facing groundwater sustainability
are of various nature; they are not only
technical but extend to cover
institutional, social and legislative
aspects.


Agriculture is the most spread economic
activity, it withdraws the major portion of
groundwater; and, in return, it results in the
most spread groundwater pollution (poor
application of afro-chemicals).
The lack of comprehensive monitoring (early
warning) and enforcement of legislation is
adversely affecting the sustainability of
groundwater.

4. •Due to the shortage of fresh water,
agricultural and domestic drainage water is
being recycled irrespective of the adverse
impact on groundwater, especially in the rural
areas where shallow groundwater is the main
source of potable water (hand pumps).
•Both decision makers and the public lack the
proper understanding of degradation
mechanisms, resulting in a continuous
degradation of this precious resource.
•Under some hydrogeological conditions,
groundwater can be free flowing. If wells are
uncontrolled or poorly protected, water
wastage and deterioration as well as inundation
of agricultural lands may occur.

5. TOWARDS GOVERNANCE AND
PROPER GROUNDWATER
PROTECTION
CASE STUDIES

6. Groundwater Management in the Egyptian
Oases-Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System
The original population have developed strict
regulations for water rights and equitable
distribution of water of water shares based on
costs and efforts. This has resulted in the
protection of the non-renewable resources for
decades.
However, in some oases (Siwa and Farafra),
control of flowing wells resulted in high water
losses to the agricultural lands and the
inundation of their agricultural lands

7. INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES
•Land ownership has been documented and existing water
points licensed.
•The new water points have been designed based on real
requirements.
•The beneficiaries of each water point (only few at the
beginning) have been assisted in the formation of “Water
Users Associations” to ensure appropriate distribution of
water shares and irrigation schedule.
•These actions have led to cooperation among the local
community and the new settlers and reduction of water
losses.

8. 

In Farafra and Siwa; Old wells have been closed and
replaced by controlled ones. The owners started to
complain at the beginning, but have been convinced when
they found their lands and old springs come back into
operation.
The positive results of this step have encouraged the
design of an integrated water management scheme
(starting in Farafra), taking into consideration the
requirements and habits of the community and the
geomorphology of the sites. This scheme is, at present
subject to evaluation prior to extended applications. The
aim is to use each drop of water economically and save
the environment from degradation.

9. CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Fresh
grw
Drainage
Qin
Qout
ET
High
Qin
Value/sensitive
uses
Medium-value
Less
sensitive
AQUIFER
Fish pond
Salt
Evaporation pond

10. Land and Groundwater Management in the
North Delta-Development and Management
of Brackish Groundwater
Recent Problems
Due to the increase in groundwater development in the delta,
along with the gradual increase (still limited) of sea water
level, saline water intrusion has increased (lost balance);
resulting in the formation of sabkhas (a result of upward
leakage from underlying saline groundwater) and loss of large
agriculture lands.
Locally Decided Upon Solutions
The farmers (land owners) have been approached by some
investors who proposed turning their lands (sabkhas) into fish
farms (in partnership), based on locally extracted brackish
groundwater. The farmers’ revenue from this initiative has
been more than doubled. However, after few years, the
salinity of pumped groundwater increased, becoming
unsuitable for the originally growing types of fish.

11. INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Drilling a number of groundwater monitoring batteries,
each constituting of three wells (225, 400 and 600
meters deep). Results of monitoring (head and salinity)
and simulation indicated that:
1. Pumping brackish groundwater will create a sort of
water divide between the sea water intrusion
interface and the fresh groundwater in the delta;
thus protecting present investments in the southern
portion of the delta from being lost.
2. Changes in salinity distribution in the middle delta
are expected to increase the space for fresh water
infiltration (e.g. rain water if any). This has
encouraged the people to dig shallow boreholes for
skimming fresh water for domestic uses (like the
locals have been and are still practising).
3. On the scale of single water wells, groundwater
salinity is expected to increase with continuous
pumping due to upconing from deeper saline
groundwater.

12. Accordingly, the following recommendations
have been made to the owners:
1.
2.
3.
The need to contact the local representative of the
ministry prior to any decision on drilling wells to
ensure their water right (licensing) and get enough
information about the groundwater quality and the
expected change of quality with time.
For the existing wells, the ministry started to
explore the present situation and recommend to the
owners either to drill new wells at different depths
(e.g. shallower wells) or change the type of species
to those suitable for the groundwater quality.
The responsible offices of the ministry (research
and executive bodies) took the lead to finalize the
studies and intensify the monitoring system in
regions subject to sea water intrusion/upconing to
ensure appropriate licensing of new developments in
such regions.

13. Reuse of Treated Sewage Water in
Irrigation on Groundwater
Direct Reuse
 Nitrogen, entering the soil system as ammonium, is
generally reduced (by about 70%) as a result of
plant uptake and adsorption.
 Phosphorous is also reduced by 25-70% due to
plant uptake.
 Although deep groundwater does not contain microorganisms; water in shallow hand pumps are microbiologically polluted.

14. Artificial Recharge of treated sewage water (sand
and clay beds)
 The efficiency of the clay basin with respect to
the organic matter depletion is greater than that
of the sand basin. But, the major problem is the
very low infiltration rate and, thus, the possible
rate of recharge that can be achieved (SAT).
 Reduction in BOD of about 80%.
 Reduction in COD by about 75%.
 Monitoring is an important component of the
process to ensure early alarm of any pollution
before it becomes unrecoverable.

15. Institutional Support


The “Water supply and waste water “company
organized a series of training workshops for their
staff prior to the large-scale projects they are
planning on the reuse of treated waster water in
irrigation. A number of professionals from various
backgrounds have been invited to deliver lectures.
Concerning groundwater protection:
 Involving the Groundwater department of the
ministry from the beginning for assessing the
groundwater vulnerability to pollution in the sites
and implementing monitoring systems; and
 Including the Water and Sanitation Company in the
planned “Atlas” for water resources the ministry is
starting, addressing: the total water resources
potential; present allocation; and quality.

16. LESSONS LEARNED AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
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Groundwater should be considered a strategic water
resource…It should not be exploited unless an
added value is ensured.
Groundwater is a fragile water resource, once polluted
it is almost unrecoverable … Protection is easier than
remediation.
Monitoring should be considered an integral part of
the project cycle for timely action.
Reuse of treated sewage water for irrigation should
consider the short- and long-term impacts on
groundwater; with a special attention to hand pumps in
local communities.
We should not try to invent high cost and complicated
technologies; but rather use what is in place with
minor modifications whenever possible; based on
discussions with the local communities.

17. 
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Decentralization is a key factor in groundwater
protection and governance. However, we should not
forget the characteristics of the Hydrogeological
boundaries.
Human resources development, including both
professionals and operators (technicians) should
receive proper attention.
Awareness is an important factor in the success of
actions. It should not be restricted to the normal
public, but should also extend to the decision makers.
Enforcement of water protection legislation, and
especially groundwater protection laws, should be given
high attention (preceded by awareness).
Participation of groundwater users is a major concern.
It should be ensured prior to the decision on any new
scheme and all over the project cycle. We should not
forget the role of women (professionals or users) in
protecting groundwater.

18. LESSONS LEARNED AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

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One fact, that is sometimes unforeseen, is
that most of the aquifers containing fresh
groundwater are underlain by formations
containing non-fresh water. This fact dictates
that research be carried out on the whole
aquifer system, evaluating the potential
(reserves) of both fresh and non-fresh
groundwater. Changing the type of land use
could, thus be considered from the beginning
of development.
Regional maps (Atlas) for all types of water,
including the quality, should be made available
for future plans on water allocation to uses.