Sewerage and water sector projects in Egypt

Four water and sewerage sector projects, sponsored by Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), for the National Organization for Potable Water and Sanitary Drainage (NOPWASD) in Egypt have been evaluated in this report to assess the viability of future investments in the same sector in Egypt. The introduction describes the development of the water sector in Egypt and the role of foreign assistance to that sector. The evaluation methodology set out in the report includes reviewing pertinent reports and documents and interviewing people in Egypt and Sweden involved with the projects or with ongoing aid programmes in Egypt. After a general discussion of the Egyptian economy and the water/wastewater sector, detailed findings from reviewing the four projects funded by the Swedish Government; namely, a feasibility study for water supply and sewage, a sewage network analysis, a pilot project in El Hamoul, and a social survey for El Hamoul Public Laundry, are presented. The report concludes that while the sewage network analysis project is the most successful of the four and provides some sustainable benefit, the sustainable benefits of the other three projects are rated as minimal. However, the ongoing Sida training programme is judged to be successful in providing a good bond between the two countries. Recommendations for future projects and a list of lessons learned from the four projects evaluated complete this report.