{"id":569297,"date":"2020-02-19T04:14:30","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T04:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/hardhats\/what-are-lawmakers-and-regulators-doing-to-avert-water-wars\/"},"modified":"2020-02-19T04:14:30","modified_gmt":"2020-02-19T04:14:30","slug":"what-are-lawmakers-and-regulators-doing-to-avert-water-wars","status":"publish","type":"hardhat","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/hardhats\/what-are-lawmakers-and-regulators-doing-to-avert-water-wars\/","title":{"rendered":"What are lawmakers and regulators doing to avert water wars?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> Whatever happened to legislation from years ago meant to help us <\/strong>avert the \u2018water wars\u2019? The House happened. <\/strong>Anyone observing the water rationing in South Africa (or who has watched a Mad Max movie in the last 30 years) can see what could happen when a water crisis gets worse. The Irrigation Ministry last year<\/a> announced a nationwide state of emergency as a result of Egypt\u2019s share of Nile water falling by 5 bn cbm in 2019 due primarily to decreasing rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands. More pressing shortages will also come along with GERD.In our inaugural issue of Hardhat<\/a>, we noted the government\u2019s efforts to bolster our water infrastructure. Yet we\u2019re seeing a dearth of news on water-related legislation that would address some of the structural problems with how water resources are organized.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be pleased to know that there are currently three pieces of water-related legislation that aim to do just that. <\/strong>There are amendments to the Drinking Water and Wastewater Act, which punishes wasting water while also setting up the regulatory framework for all the players involved. There is also a new Water Resources Act, that aims to more efficiently manage drainage, runoffs and water usage. Then there are amendments to the Agriculture Act, which would restrict growing crops that consume too much water. Out of the three, only the latter has passed, largely the result of being bogged down in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

Law #1 \u2014 Amendments to the Drinking Water and Wastewater Act:<\/strong> This is essentially the government\u2019s \u201clay down the law\u201d legislation, where punitive measures are outlined, along with a regulatory framework and a previously-existing supervisory body\u2019s legislative framework, Egyptian Water Regulatory Agency (EWRA)<\/a> head Mohamed Hassan tells Enterprise. He breaks down the core tenets of the draft amendments as follows:<\/p>\n

EWRA to be given regulatory powers over who produces and distributes water: <\/strong>The amendments make EWRA the official regulator governing all those involved in water production and distribution, allowing it to specify which projects the private sector can work on, according to Hassan. Water distribution will remain state-controlled in most major governorates<\/strong>, he adds. Private sector distributors will only be allowed to sell directly to consumers in areas which the government doesn\u2019t fully cover. One example is Sharm El Sheikh, where several private providers work directly with hotels and other establishments in the resort town. Otherwise, the government would purchase water produced in private water plants and handle distribution itself.<\/p>\n

That includes powers to issue licenses and enforce the law:<\/strong> EWRA will also be able to issue licenses to water providers and grant them management rights to run water facilities and networks, says Hassan. The law will also grant EWRA the powers to arrest all those in violation of the law, he confirmed.<\/p>\n

EWRA will also set prices: <\/strong>The amendments will keep the power to set prices for water producers and consumers firmly with EWRA. Hassan tells us that the agency is currently working on a new price mechanism, but did not elaborate on how that will impact current prices.<\/p>\n

New punitive measures in place:<\/strong> The changes would see those who squander public water resources face prison terms, as well as fines of between EGP 20-100k. People caught illegally tapping water systems could see jail terms of up to two years and fines between EGP 1-10k. Those using drinking water for \u201cnon-designated purposes,\u201d such as watering roads and gardens or washing cars, could, meanwhile, be subject to terms of at least six months in prison and fines of up to EGP 20k.<\/p>\n

Law #2 \u2014 The <\/strong>Water Resources Act<\/strong>: <\/strong>The new Water Resources Act would update current regulations on how water can be used. Media reports<\/a> and a former ministry spokesperson<\/a> have revealed that the bill will address a number of recent challenges such as the impact of climate change, increased levels of pollution, and dwindling water resources in light of growing demand and rapid population growth.<\/p>\n

The 131-article bill would unite disparate laws on water management under a single framework<\/strong> to streamline procedures for different types of water uses, lower waste volumes, and promote better flood and rain water management. There are five brand new provisions in the latest version of the legislation that we\u2019ve seen. The provisions cover the following:<\/p>\n