According to a government statement released on Wednesday, the ministries of water resources and irrigation, industry, and military production have agreed to establish an integrated system to improve water-use efficiency, ensure the sustainability of water resources, and localize water treatment and recycling technologies in factories.
The decision followed a meeting between the three ministries to review the legislative and institutional framework governing water use in industrial activities as part of broader efforts to integrate water sustainability into Egypt's industrial expansion plans.
The ministries also agreed to establish a joint technical committee to develop the system and identify ways to reduce water consumption in factories.
The committee will prepare a comprehensive framework covering project site selection criteria, water demand assessments, efficient water-use requirements, treatment and recycling standards, as well as licensing, monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam said Egypt's water demand exceeds its available resources, making water reuse a key pillar of the country's national water management strategy.
He stressed the need to reintegrate water generated from industrial activities into the national water system after treatment that complies with legal and technical standards.
Sewilam added that feasibility studies for industrial projects should include detailed assessments of water demand, available water sources, water-use efficiency, and treatment and recycling systems, making water a "core component of the industrial planning process."
Egypt's annual per capita water share declined to around 490 cubic metres in June from 500 cubic metres in April, while the country's annual water demand has reached nearly 120 billion cubic metres.
The figure remains below the United Nations water poverty threshold, underscoring Egypt's status as one of the world's most water-scarce countries. The country relies on the Nile River for about 98 percent of its renewable freshwater resources to serve a population exceeding 110 million.
Reflecting the government's growing focus on water security, the FY2026/2027 budget increases allocations for drinking water and desalination projects by 22 percent.
The integrated system is designed to support industrial development by treating water as a strategic production resource while preserving national water resources, maximizing economic returns and strengthening water security.
The initiative also supports the Ministry of Industry's strategy to expand and localize Egypt's industrial base by promoting closed-loop water systems and zero-liquid-discharge technologies to reduce industrial water consumption.
Industry Minister Khaled Hashem said wider adoption of these technologies would help attract international manufacturers to localize production in Egypt in cooperation with the Ministry of Military Production, leveraging its industrial and manufacturing capabilities.
Minister of State for Military Production Salah Soliman Gomblat said the ministry will utilize the technological and manufacturing capabilities of its affiliated companies to support the industrial sector.
The ministry also plans to contribute to implementing the water footprint concept for Egyptian products, participate in water treatment and desalination projects, expand local manufacturing of related components, support factories in adopting water conservation systems, and promote the recycling and reuse of industrial wastewater in production processes.
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