Egypt signs private operation contracts for 11 desalination plants

Egypt's Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities announced on 18 October the signing of operation and maintenance contracts for 11 seawater desalination plants with a combined design capacity of 485,000 cubic metres a day. The Holding Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation put the total value at about EGP 4.6 billion, an average of about EGP 1.2 billion a year. Seven plants are in North and South Sinai (240,000 cubic metres a day), three in Matrouh (165,000) and one, the Yusr plant, on the Red Sea (80,000). The contractors named are Egypt Maintenance Company (San Misr), Proserv, Orascom Construction, Metito with Orascom, Contrac and Elsewedy Utilities. The holding company said it will review the contracts against operating efficiency, water quality, technical readiness and cost.

Why it matters. The holding company's chairman, Mostafa El-Shemy, said the aim is to move from repairing breakdowns to planned preventive maintenance.