Abstract

The study examines the irrigation water qualityfor North Sinai Development Project (NSDP). The waterresources investigated are agriculture wastewater mixed withNile freshwater in a ratio of 1:1. This study focuses on thequality of irrigation water used in the reclamation andcultivation of 75,000 acres of the South-East EL-Kantra Canallies in the NSDP. Six monitoring locations along the canal pathwere chosen for examination. Water samples were collectedevery month during the period from Dec. 2007 to Nov. 2014.The water parameters were set using the Egyptian irrigationwater standards, based on the local Decree 92/2013 for theExecutive Regulation of Law 48/1982, concerning the protectionof the Nile River and its waterways from pollution, as well asthe United States Environmental Agency, USEPA 2012Guidelines for reclaimed water quality for irrigation. Theresults of the study clearly demonstrate restrictions to irrigatethe uncooked vegetables and uncooked crops for human. Theneed for increasing the mixed Nile freshwater portion orpretreatment of the agriculture wastewater prior to mixingwith the Nile freshwater to satisfy Egyptian irrigation waterstandards and USEPA 2012 as several water quality results,such as BOD, DO, and fecal coliform, are unacceptable. As asuggestion, we recommend using aerated lagoons, stabilizationponds or wetlands to treat polluted agriculture wastewaterbefore adding to the Nile river water to satisfy Egyptianirrigation water criteria.