Egypt and Kuwait launch major water‑reuse initiatives to boost agricultural resilience

Egypt opened its 2026‑2027 water year, unveiling a comprehensive Water 2.0 programme that includes large‑scale projects for agricultural drainage water reuse, infrastructure rehabilitation, and digital transformation. Key actions involve the near‑completion of a 174‑km conveyance network serving the New Delta wastewater treatment plant, a 105‑km system linking the Bahr El‑Baqar plant to Sinai irrigation zones, and the development of a digital twin of the Ismailia Canal using satellite imagery, drones, AI and machine‑learning tools to monitor waterways and simulate management scenarios.

In Kuwait, the government issued bids for two treated‑water distribution projects aimed at strengthening food security. Thirteen companies are competing to design, build, operate and maintain wastewater‑to‑irrigation systems in the country’s southern and northern regions. The projects, overseen by the Central Agency for Public Tenders and the Ministry of Public Works, seek to expand the use of quaternary‑treated wastewater for agriculture, reduce reliance on freshwater, and support long‑term agricultural production.

Both initiatives reflect a regional push to modernise water management, enhance climate‑adaptation capacity and secure water supplies for farming and other sectors.