African Water Development Report 2006 - United Nations Economic ...

Table 4.15: Desalination capacities by countries in the Northern SubregionMauritania Morocco Algeria Tunisie Libya Egypt Sudan TotalProductionCapacity(m3/j)0 100 340 70 700 200 15000 1425000% 0 7 24 5 49 14 1 100Source: Draft Sub Regional Synthesis of AWDR National Reports, 2005Box 4.2” Reuse of Agricultural Drainage Water in EgyptThe agricultural drainage of the southern part of Egypt returns directly to the Nile River where it is mixed with theNile fresh water and reused for different purposes downstream. The total amount of such indirect reuse is estimatedto be about 4.07 BCM/year in 1997/98. This drainage flow comes from three sources; tail end dischargesand seepage losses from canals; surface runoff from irrigated fields; and deep percolation from irrigated fields (partiallyrequired for salt leaching). The first two sources of drainage water are of relatively good quality water. Thedeep percolation component is more salty and even highly saline, especially in the northern part of the Delta, dueto seawater intrusion and upward seepage of groundwater to drains.FRESHWATER RESOURCES IN AFRICAThe other source of freshwater is the treatmentof wastewater, both from domestic and industrialeffluents. The reuse of the wastewater after treatmentis not yet diffused in the countries of thesubregion, in spite of the scarcity of water, andthe environmental imperatives, which compelthem to have recourse to it. In comparison withthe other subregions the northern subregion isagain quite ahead (table 4.16).71