EGYPT: Lack of modern sanitation systems threatens groundwater, health

CAIRO, 3 March 2008 (IRIN) – Nearly all Egyptians – 98 percent of the population – have access to piped water but only some have proper sanitation facilities. Not much attention has been paid to the effective and safe disposal of sewage, especially in rural areas, say specialists.

In rural areas – deserts and agricultural areas alike – only 58 percent of inhabitants have access to any kind of sanitation, said Rania El-Essawi, water, environment and sanitation officer at the Cairo office of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Most rural sanitation is primitive, and does not involve a proper sewage system. 

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