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Egypt faces drinking water shortage because of Nile pollution

The growing Egyptian population is straining the country’s drinking water supply, which mainly comes from the Nile.
A man collects water from a canal beside a dead donkey in the Nile Delta town of Al-Borollos 300 km (186 miles) north of Cairo March 18, 2008. REUTERS/Nasser Nuri (EGYPT) - RTR1YHD4
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Every once in a while, the level of pollution in the Nile rises, which requires halting the drinking water from stations that supply many areas of Egyptian cities because the Nile water no longer meets cleanliness standards. These rises in pollution are often caused by the Nile's low water level.

Because of the Nile pollution crisis and its impact on drinking water, citizens are worried about the quality of their drinking water. Some Egyptian villagers are protesting and are angry at the government for being slow at resolving this problem, which could result in environmental disasters if the causes of pollution are not addressed and if not enough Nile water is available to wash away the pollution to the Mediterranean Sea.

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