Project News

The Project for Strengthening Water Management Transfer (SWMT Project) provided equipment for every regional counterpart (CP) being in charge of each of the three pilot sites to collect garbage along the branch canal or dredge it.

Environmental campaign is one of the major environmental activities in the SWMT Project which aims at enabling the community in the pilot sites to understand essence of their garbage problem and raise their environmental awareness^[1].

For the two pilot sites of Ebheet and Bisintaway, a tractor and a trailer were provided for each, so that local stakeholders including members of Branch Canal Water Users' Associations (BCWUAs) and CPs can solve their garbage problem in sustainable manners by establishing an effective way to collect garbage by themselves.

The equipment will be utilized to collect garbage from every household along the branch canal and carry it to their dumping site.

For the Shubra Baloola, a dredging machine was provided because the CP could not have it when necessary which often prevented smooth distribution of water for a long time. The dredging machine will enable the CP and the Shubra Baloola to solve such problems timely as well as effectively so that the local farmers can have enough water and enhance their agricultural productivity.

In addition to provision of the equipment mentioned above, the Project signed one agreement on use, operation and maintenance of them with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) to help the BCWUAs and the CPs smoothly establish their own system to collect garbage and dredge the branch canal by clarifying roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder.

In the agreement, it is noted that one committee has to be established to supervise use, operation and maintenance of the equipment, while necessary operational costs of the equipment need to be paid by the BCWUAs.

Mr. Hosny Badran, board member of the Ebheet BCWUA says "the tractor is perfect, as it will help us to collect the garbage, which will accordingly improve the water quality and quantity and limit diseases. The only challenge is the money collection, but we are doing our best to do so legally and to fulfill our commitment to the Project."

From now on, the Project will continuously support the BCWUAs and the CPs not only in establishing their own environmental committee so that they can effectively plan and implement an environmental campaign in full cooperation with local residents, but also in establishing a good system to use the tractor in sustainable and efficient way.

Provision of a tractor for the CPs.

Provision of a tractor for the CPs.

Provision of a dredging machine for the CP.

Signing of the agreement on use, operation and maintenance of a tractor by the Project and the MWRI.