Egypt is accelerating a comprehensive plan to restore the ecological balance of Lake Qarun, focusing on wastewater treatment and pollution reduction, according to the Ministry of Local Development and Environment. Minister Manal Awad met with Fayoum Governor Mohamed Ghoneim to review progress on related projects.
The Ministry of Local Development and Environment stated that the Lake Qarun issue is a top government priority, emphasizing enhanced inter-agency coordination to speed up implementation and achieve tangible environmental improvements.
The meeting focused on rehabilitating the industrial wastewater treatment plant in Kom Oshim, with a design capacity of 19,000 cubic metres per day and total investment of EGP 450m, now at about 70% completion. Minister Awad directed securing necessary funding for its timely finish, given its key role in reducing lake pollution.
A broader wastewater services programme in Fayoum targets 1.9 million beneficiaries, including construction and expansion of treatment plants, sewerage networks, and pumping stations, backed by European development partners. Under the Decent Life initiative, facilities in Itsa and Youssef El-Seddik districts aim to raise sewage coverage to 86% of the population.
The lake has shown relative environmental improvement, enabling fishing to resume after interventions like releasing 6 million shrimp fry in August 2025 and introducing new fish species. Discussions also covered a salt extraction plant proposal requiring a full environmental impact assessment, plus efforts to boost public awareness on safe waste disposal.