By Abdullahi Lukman
Egypt has officially launched its 2026-2027 water year, unveiling significant progress in modernising its water management system through infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation, water reuse projects and climate resilience initiatives.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation on Saturday said preparations for the high-demand summer season have been strengthened to guarantee sufficient water supplies for agriculture, drinking and other essential uses.
Authorities have closely monitored Nile water flows, canal operations, pumping stations and hydraulic facilities, resolving water distribution challenges in areas including Wadi El-Naqra in Aswan, as well as the Suez, Port Said and El-Nasr canals.
The ministry said the initiatives form part of its second-generation Water 2.0 programme, which focuses on water treatment and reuse, smart water management, digital technologies, infrastructure rehabilitation, climate adaptation and institutional reforms.
Construction of the agricultural drainage water conveyance system linked to the New Delta wastewater treatment plant has reached 79 percent completion.
The project, comprising 13 pumping stations and a 174-kilometre network, is expected to support the reclamation of about 362,000 feddans.
In Sinai, two water conveyance routes connected to the Bahr El-Baqar wastewater treatment plant are approximately 89 percent complete.
The 105-kilometre system, which includes 18 pumping stations, will provide irrigation for around 456,000 feddans in northern and central Sinai.
The ministry is also expanding the use of satellite imagery, drones, artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor waterways, detect encroachments, assess shoreline erosion, track urban expansion and evaluate lake water quality.
It is developing a digital twin of the Ismailia Canal to enable real-time monitoring and improve water management through advanced simulations.
As part of its digital transformation drive, electronic licensing for groundwater well drilling has been completed, alongside digital databases covering canals, drains, hydraulic structures, irrigation equipment and government-owned irrigation land.
Procedures for collecting land-use fees and other revenues have also been digitised.
On infrastructure, the ministry has completed the new Dairut Barrages and continues upgrading gate operating systems at several barrages and navigation locks. Work is also progressing to increase the discharge capacity of the Toshka spillway and channel to reinforce the operational resilience of the Aswan High Dam.
Nationwide, authorities assessed nearly 56,000 water structures, contracted the replacement of 508 facilities and initiated procurement for hundreds more requiring rehabilitation. During the previous water year, about 33,000 kilometres of irrigation canals and 22,000 kilometres of agricultural drains were cleared, while subsurface drainage networks serving roughly 67,000 feddans were replaced.
Improvement works also continued in Siwa Oasis through the closure of highly saline shallow wells, drilling of deep groundwater wells and construction of pumping stations and irrigation networks aimed at restoring the oasis’s environmental balance.
Flood protection projects have been implemented or are ongoing across several governorates, while 117 flood channels spanning 318 kilometres are being cleared ahead of the rainy season.
Emergency response centres and the ministry’s flood forecasting centre remain operational around the clock.
Coastal protection works are advancing in Alexandria, Damietta, Matrouh and Kafr El-Sheikh to protect infrastructure, restore beaches and reduce the impact of coastal erosion and rising sea levels.
The ministry also reported the removal of 838 illegal structures and 45 cases of unlawful land filling along the Nile under a national river regulation programme. The initiative includes producing digital topographic and bathymetric maps and surveying state-owned riverbank land in 16 governorates.
To strengthen human capacity, the ministry organised 400 training programmes for about 9,500 participants, alongside specialised courses attended by trainees from Egypt and 25 African, Arab and Asian countries.
It is also collaborating with Italian partners to establish five Egyptian-Italian water technology schools to prepare skilled professionals for the sector.
Looking ahead, the ministry said its priorities for the 2026-2027 water year include improving water distribution efficiency, accelerating digital transformation, enhancing climate resilience and ensuring sustainable water supplies amid increasing demand and limited water resources.
