Bahr Al Baqar Wastewater Plant: Boosting Egypt’s Water Security

From Water Scarcity to Sustainable Water Reuse

For many years now, Northern Sinai has been facing serious challenges. Rapid population growth, dryland expansion, water pollution, and lack of safe drinking water are among the pressing issues that the Government intends to resolve. To help address these challenges, Egypt developed the Bahr Al Baqar wastewater treatment plant in the east of the Suez Canal, the world’s largest, with an estimated capacity of 5.6 million m³/day.

Bahr Al Baqar: Advancing Wastewater Treatment in Sinai

The Egyptian government sought to tackle water resource shortages and fill the current gap, estimated at 20 billion cubic feet of water annually, by establishing a clean-water system for the Bahr Al Baqar drain within the Sinai Peninsula Development Plan. The new Bahr Al Baqar plant will help to treat all the wastewater flowing along the drain.

The plant comprises four water treatment lines with a daily processing capacity of 1,250,000 cubic meters each. The effluents entering the drain come from Sinai households, industries, and plantations in the region. The raw water is transported to the proposed treatment plant through deep tunnels passing down the new Suez Canal to the eastern side of the Canal.

Safe Water Supply Transforms Agriculture in Egypt 

Equipped with advanced processes for raw water pumping, coagulation, flocculation, decantation, filtration, and disinfection, the facility will produce safe, clean water for reuse to irrigate 140,000 hectares of farmland alongside the Suez Canal. Moreover, the project will support government efforts to “green” areas of the desert and convert them for agricultural use and traditional farming; thus, linking the Sinai Peninsula with the Delta region and providing job opportunities and a better quality of life.

Bahr Al Baqar Wastewater Plant Sets Guinness World Records

• The largest treatment plant in the world with a capacity of 64.8 m3/sec
• The largest sludge treatment plant with a capacity of 360 kg/sec
• The largest single-operator ozone-generating plant with a capacity of 0.1792 kg/sec

Results

The Bahr Al Baqar wastewater treatment plant aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing high-quality reclaimed water, protecting ecosystems, creating jobs, supporting clean energy, and reducing climate impacts.

Goal 6 – Ensure Access to Water and Sanitation for All

The plant provides farmers and workers with high-quality reclaimed water for agro-industrial needs. It decontaminates household and industrial water, as well as organic waste, preventing pollution of Lake Manzala and the Mediterranean Sea.

Goal 1 – End Poverty

The project creates over 100,000 direct and 1.2 million indirect jobs in North Sinai.
This supports families and strengthens the local economy through agricultural development.

Goal 7 – Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable Energy

A solar sludge drying system turns 475,000 tons of dewatered sludge into a reusable asset annually. This reduces energy use, avoids air pollution, and minimizes the carbon footprint.

Goal 9 – Build Resilient Infrastructure and Foster Innovation

Reusing and treating wastewater reduces environmental impact and contamination.
It ensures valuable resources are available for local communities while promoting sustainable industrial practices.

Goal 11 – Make Cities and Communities Resilient and Sustainable

The project optimizes water use to expand agriculture in Sinai. It supports integrated agricultural development, including crops, livestock, and industrial production.

Goal 13 – Combat Climate Change

With a capacity of 5.6 million m³/day, the plant provides a reliable water source for irrigation. This addresses water shortages threatening agriculture and the economy in the Sinai region.

Goal 14 – Conserve Oceans, Seas, and Marine Resources

The project prevents untreated wastewater from reaching Lake Manzala, protecting marine life. It strengthens the resilience of aquatic ecosystems and reduces fish mortality and pollution.

Goal 15 – Combat Desertification and Restore Land

Treated water will irrigate 400,000 feddan east of the Suez Canal. This helps restore degraded land, combat aridity, and support sustainable agriculture.

Honored by major industry bodies—including ENR Global Best Projects 2021 (Global Project of the Year and Best Water/Wastewater Project) and the MEED Projects Awards 2021 (National and Regional Water Project of the Year, and overall MEED Project of the Year)—the Bahr Al Baqar Wastewater Treatment Plant stands as a global benchmark for water reuse and desert greening. It demonstrates how innovative engineering can turn critical water challenges into transformative national opportunities.