Comparative assessment of feasible options for delivery of potable water to remote coastal locations: North-West Egypt

Abstract

Growing potable water demand associated with water shortage in remote coastal communities mandates identification and evaluation of viable water supply options. This paper addresses technical and financial analysis of water supply options in northwest Egypt as a typical remote coastal community on the Mediterranean. Water supply and energy availability are the main challenges hindering possible potential development schemes. Population reallocation programs being the core of any development plan should rely upon availability and accessibility of water and energy resources. The technically feasible proposed options for water supply scenarios to northwest Egypt comprise long-distance water transfer pipeline (LDWTP), large-scale desalination, or a combination of the two. Each option has been incorporated with a water reuse component and investigated for a daily capacity of 200,000 m3/d of fresh water. Since all the options are energy intensive in nature, they have been assessed from economic and energy standpoints. Thus, both conventional and small nuclear energy supply schemes have been considered. The estimated capital costs were $M 741.9, 260.0, and 634.5, while the unit water costs were $/m3 0.92, 0.73, and 0.81 for LDWTP, desalination and joint LDWTP/desalination options, respectively. The merits of cost-effectiveness, energy saving, technical reliability, and environmental aspects were manifested by the second proposed option.