Egypt Nile water pollution on the rise
Egypt’s Nile water pollution rates are alarming, and people and natural life are being affected, while the efforts on the part of the government to fix the situation remain questionable.
CAIRO — An intensive media and political momentum is taking place in Egypt in regard to the conflict with Nile headwaters countries over securing Egypt’s annual share of the Nile waters. At the same time, the pollution of the Nile River remains a pending issue that is being underscored in Egypt with every water poisoning incident caused by the dumping of hazardous waste in the river. The debate usually ends when the government reassures the public, and emphasizes that the water is safe and suitable for human consumption, without establishing long-term policies to resolve the crisis.
On April 22, a barge managed by an Egyptian army-owned company capsized in Upper Egypt, spilling 500 tons of phosphate. In the two weeks following the incident, the armed forces worked to recover the barge and clean the Nile River of phosphate. Hossam Moghazy, the minister of water resources and irrigation, said in a statement, "The entire spillage was removed; maybe there is still some sediment, but it is neither infectious nor harmful."
