In Egypt, water "use-standards" are set in laws and regulations under the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Health. The legal framework for water resources management is established in a number of laws and decrees of which the most important are:

• Law 48/1982 provides the "effluent-standards" as well as "ambient standards" for inland waters with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) as the primarily responsible office. It regards the protection of the River Nile and waterways from pollution.
• Law 12/1984 on irrigation and drainage regulates the use of water, including groundwater. It controls water rights, setting priorities between users, beneficial and harmful use of water, financial aspects and penalties.
• Law 4/1992 sets "effluent-standards" for solid and hazardous wastes and for discharges to the marine environment. In this case the Ministry for the Environment is responsible.
• Law 213/1994 amends the irrigation and drainage law 12/1984 legalizes private Water Users Associations at the mesqa level and provides for recovery of capital costs for improved irrigation facilities at mesqa level over a period up to twenty years.
• Other laws and decrees are more specific; for example, Law 27/1982 regulating public water resources used for drinking and domestic use and Ministerial Decree 2703/1966 of the Ministry of Health, establishing the Supreme Committee for Water. This committee has to set standards for drinking water, swimming, etc. and has to approve water treatment projects. Ministerial Decree No. 380/1982 of the Ministry of Industry requires new industries to include equipment to prevent pollution in the technical specification of the project.

The "effluent-standards" for inland waters distinguish between industrial and domestic wastewater and between the Nile and irrigation system on one side and the drains and lakes on the other hand.