U.S. Goal in Egypt: Clean Water, $3.5 Billion Invested

U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan R. Cohen, Minister of International Cooperation Dr. Rania Al Mashat, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Leslie Reed visited Egypt’s Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) and Cairo’s main water treatment plant at Rod El Farag on November 17, 2020.

The U.S. Government through USAID helped establish the HCWW and Egyptian Water Regulatory Authority to improve Egypt’s ability to provide water and sanitation services.

Ambassador Cohen, Minister Al Mashat, and Mission Director Reed discussed current and planned USAID activities in the water sector with Engineer Mamdouh Raslan, the Chairman of HCWW and Mostafa Ahmed al-Shemy, the Chairman of the Cairo Potable Water Company, and met engineers and workers at the facility.

According to Ambassador Cohen, “The U.S. financed this facility and many more like it across Egypt to bring clean water and sanitation services to the Egyptian people, as part of an investment of more than $3.5 billion to help bring clean water and sanitation services to over 25 million Egyptians.

This includes $243 million to expand Egypt's Central Cairo Water System, which continues to serve 5 million people every day.”

Minister Mashat said, “Our cooperation focuses primarily on enhancing the livelihoods of people; and engages mostly with civil society organizations and private sector.

Thus, it is focused on putting people and inclusive partnerships at the core for a sustainable future,” H.E. Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, stated.

Ambassador Cohen and Mission Director Reed also visited Al Azhar park and met with the Aga Khan Development Network to see how U.S. investments, through USAID, helped transform the park into a communal green space and incorporated U.S.-funded water reservoirs into the design of the park.

The water reservoirs improve pressure in Cairo’s water distribution system, serve as a backup water source during high use, and also serve as a water source for the U.S.-funded pump station that supplies Manshiet Naser and Mohkattam in addition to the U.S.-funded Abbasseya Reservoir with clean drinking water.