RECENT POTABLE WATER TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IN EGYPTIAN COASTAL AREAS

The availability of fresh water and energy is the key factor in the planning of many countries development, particularly those of large arid areas and over population. Potable water supply shortage and recent technological development had lead to wider application of conventional, and yet advanced saline/ brackish water desalination plants. The growing potable water demand in Suburban and Touristic Red Sea and Sinai Resorts had prompted an organized National plan of implementation of desalination technologies, Khalil (1). The present work continues in a series of activities to analyze the status Quo of water demand in Egypt, it reviews the current research activities to establish the appropriate technology for adaptation, local manufacturing experiences, successes, unit size, process and economics.Water demand in a vastly growing and developing Egyptian community was analyzed is characterized by rising standard of living, expansion of industrialization in mining and Petroleum sectors and the vast expansion of Touristic development, El-Fouly & Khalil (2). With the still limited resources to support the infrastructure, the problem is acute. Khalil et al (3) had emphasized the importance of establishing water master plan, technoeconomic assessment of desalting process.The present work reviews the status Quo in terms of water demand, availability, and new development in small and medium sized locally manufactured units. Assessment of some of the locally manufactured units currently in operation will be detailed and their economical viability investigated. The advantages and limitations, based on technoeconomic concepts, of the application of different desalting processes in Egypt are outlined and discussed.