Law 48 of 1982 specifically deals with discharges to water bodies. This law prohibits discharge to the Nile River, irrigation canals, drains, lakes and groundwater without a license issued by the MWRI. Licenses can be issued as long as the effluents meet the standards of the laws. The license includes both the quantity and quality that is permitted to be discharged. Discharging without a license can result in a fine. Licenses may be withdrawn in case of failure to immediately reduce discharge, in case of pollution danger, or failure to install appropriate treatment within a period of three months. Under the law, the Ministry of Interior has police power while the Ministry of Health and Population is the organization responsible to give binding advice on water quality standards and to monitor effluents/discharges. Law 48 does not cover ambient quality monitoring of receiving water bodies although some standards are given. Law 48 recognises three categories of water body functions:

• Fresh water bodies for the Nile River and irrigation canals;
• Non-fresh or brackish water bodies for drains, lakes and ponds;
• Groundwater aquifers.

Ambient quality standards are given for potable resources which are intended as raw water supplies for drinking water. The implementing Decree 8 of 1983 specifies the water quality standards for the following categories:

• The Nile river and canals into which discharges are licensed (article 60);
• Treated industrial discharges to the Nile river, canals and groundwater;
• Upstream the Delta barrages discharging more than 100 m3/day (article 61);
• Downstream the Delta barrages discharging more than 100 m3/day (article 61);
• Upstream the Delta barrages discharging less than 100 m3/day (article 62);
• Downstream the Delta barrages discharging less than 100 m3/day (article 62);
• Drain waters to be mixed with the Nile river or canal waters (article 65);
• Treated industrial and sanitary waste discharges to drains, lakes and ponds (article 66);
• The drains, lakes and ponds into which discharges are licensed (article 68);

Discharge of treated sanitary effluents to the Nile River and canals is not allowed at all (article 63) and any discharge of sanitary waste into other water bodies should be chlorinated (article 67). The water quality standards are generally based on the drinking water standards and are not linked to all other functions a water body may have. The use of agrochemicals for weed control is also regulated in the law.

Through Law 4 of 1994 the EEAA is the authority responsible for preparing legislation and decrees to protect the environment in Egypt. The agency also has the responsibility for setting standards and for carrying out compliance monitoring. It should participate in the preparation and implementation of the national programme for environmental monitoring and utilisation of data (including water quality). The agency is also charged with establishing an “Environmental Protection Fund” which would include water quality monitoring. With respect to the pollution of the water environment, the law states that all provisions of Law 48/1982 are not affected and further, Law 4 only covers coastal and seawater aspects.

Nevertheless a number of issues are unclear:

• The MWRI remains the responsible authority for water quality and water pollution issues, although the definition of “discharge” in Law 4 specifically includes discharges to the Nile River the waterways. EEAA is responsible for coordinating the pollution monitoring networks.
• In Law 4 it is stated that all facilities discharging to surface water are required to obtain a license and maintain a register indicating the impact of the establishment’s activity on the environment. The register should include data on emissions, efficiency and outflow from treatment units and periodic measurements. EEAA will inspect the facilities yearly and follow-up any non-compliance. This provision is confusing or creating duplication because Law 48/1982 also includes certain standards for effluents with MOHP as compliance monitoring organization and only MOHP laboratory results are considered to be official.