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<Integrated Waste Management Practices To Protect Freshwater Resources:
Case Studies From West Asia,
The Mediterranean, And The Arab Region>

Waste-water and its Impact on the Nile River
at Helwan, Egypt

Prepared by:
Chem. Adel El Danaf, Chairman of the Metallurgical Industries, Egypt

 

  1. Background Information

    Helwan industrial district which is the concern of this case study occupies an area of about 40 km2 and lies to the south of Cairo. It runs along the River Nile in north-south direction. Its northern boundary starts at Tora at about 8 km from its east by sandy lime stone hills of varying heights.

    Industrial activities taking place in this district are highly concentrated in its southern half, particularly, in the south of the Helwan City. The major residential settlements are the city of Helwan, 15th May town, Maasara and other smaller residential settlements at Tora, kafr Elelw and El- Tabbin. A map showing the main industrial plants and residential areas is given in Figure (1). Listed below are the major industrial establishments in the area:

    Factories at North Helwan

    1. Egyptian Starch and Glucose Company.
    2. Toura Portland Cement Company.
    3. The Egyptian Telephone Company.
    4. Military Factory No.45 (Massara Co. for Eng. Indust.).
    5. The Egyptian Company for Pipes and Cement Products.
    6. El-Nasr Automobile Manufacturing Company.
    7. The Egyptian Transportation Co.
    8. Cairo South Power Station.
    9. El-Nasr Steel Pipes and Fittings Company.
    10. Lasociete General Egyptienne De Material De Chemins De Fer (Semaf)
    11. Military Factory No. 99.
    12. Military Factory No.9 (Helwan Iron Foundries).
    13. Military Factory No 99 (Machine Tools).
    14. Military Factory No 909 (Helwan Diesel Engine Co.)
    15. Military Factory No 63 (Non Ferrous Metals Co.).
    16. Galvanizing Factory (ZINC Coating).

    Factories at South Helwan :

    1. Misr Company For Equipment of Spinning and Weaving.
    2. Helwan Spinning and Weaving Co.
    3. Steelco Company
    4. Helwan Portland Cement Company
    5. Military Factory No. 360.
    6. Military Factory No 36 (Aircraft Factory).
    7. Military factory No 135 (Engine Factroy).
    8. Helwan Cement Co.
    9. National Cement Company
    10. Egyptian Iron & Steel Company
    11. El-Tabbin Power Station
    12. Prefabricated Houses Company
    13. EGYCO.
    14. South Cairo Flour Mill.
    15. EGYPAC.
    16. General Metal Company
    17. (Chemical Fertilizer Plant).
    18. (El-Nasr Co. For Coke and Chemicals) Combined.
    19. EL-Nasr Forging industry.

  2. Water intake from the Nile River:

    The approximate water intake from the Nile River within the study area for municipal purposes, industrial cooling and process water is given in Table(1) bel

    Table 1: Water intake from the Nile within Helwan area
    Location
    Industry, m3/d
    Municipal, m3/d
    Helwan water works

    188,000   

    104,000
    Kafr El Ellou

    ----

      70,000
    North Helwan

    40,000

    115,000
    Maadi

    ----

    * 70,000 
    Spinning and weaving

    18,000

     
    Starch and glucose

    14,000

     
    Toura cement

    39,000

     
    Helwan cement

    21,000

     
    National cement

    10,000

     
    Cairo south power station

    28,000

     
    El Tabbin power station

    37,000

     
    Total

    395,000   

    359,000
    *Only partly distributing to the study area.

    Additionally, a substantial amount of water is used for irrigation.


    3.  
  3. Industrial Effluent at Helwan Area

    A number of the factories listed earlier are not connected to the sewerage network and discharge their effluent directly to the river, to agricultural drains or to lagoons in the desert. Here, it should be noted that 3 factories out of the investigated 30 factories are expected to discharge 70% of the amount of industrial wastewater in the year 2000. The three factories are the Egyptian Iron and Steel company, Spinning and Weaving Company and El-Nasr Coke and Chemical Company.

    There are some metal processing industries in the area which discharge untreated effluent containing cyanide, chromium (IV) , zinc and other trace metals.

    The food processing industry in the area discharges effluent with high concentration of organic biodegradable materials including plant oil.

    The main fact to consider in case these industries integrate with a combined sewerage/treatment system, is their discharge of various harmful substances. Pretreatment has to be installed in order to use the treated wastewater for agricultural needs.

    3.1 Non-Industrial Effluent in Helwan

    A new sewer system for collecting all effluents is under construction in the area. At present time only, Helwan City, part of the Tabbin area and some minor industries are connected. At the moment, the majority of household wastewater is infiltrated directly into the ground, when connected to the new sanitary sewer system, the total flow of sanitary wastewater is expected to be in the order of 300,000m3/day.

    There are two agricultural drain canals in the area El Tabbin Drain and Khour Sail El Maasara Drain, see (Fig 1). The daily water flow in these canals is 159,000m3 and 13,000m3 respectively, where industrial treated and untreated effluents are discharged.

    3.2 Characteristics of Industrial Effluents

    Table No. (2) shows the collected information about the industrial effluents of the major industries in the area Table 3 : Industrial effluents of the major industries at Helwan area

    Name of Factory Wastewater m3/d Load kgBOD/d Remarks
    Siegwart --- ---  
    Helwan Cement   6,720   450 Cooling water and sanitary sewer
    National Cement   6,200   450 Cooling and sanitary sewer.
    Toura Cement 29,700   450 Cooling and sanitary sewer.
    El-Nasr Automotive   1,056   200 Cyanide, Zn and Ammonia
    Egyptian Light Transport     324     65 Cr6+ , Ni, Oil & grease
    El Nasr Steel Pipes     ---    ---  
    Iron and Steel 67,200    800 Cyanide, Iron and Others
    Steelco         1   --- Zn 800 kg/a
    Coke & Fertilizer Co. 14,000      40 High in ammonia
    Spinning and Weaving 16,200 3,240 Oil & grease
    Starch & Glucose   9,500 7,000 Oil & grease, TSS
    Egypt Telephone Co.      300        7  

    These factories represent a total discharge of 151,200 m3/d and a BOD5 of 13,000kg/d., from the above, volume of water 44,000 m3/d is cooling water, which means that process, and sanitary - water discharge is 107,200m3/d.

    In addition to the organic load discharged from some of the factories, toxic material and trace minerals are also discharged.

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