Project implementation Consultant for the Kitchener Drain Project Wastewater Component

Project details
Country: 
Egypt
Beneficiary: 
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Donor organisation: 
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Associated enterprises: 
COWI A/S
SETS s.a.r.l.
Department: 
Water
Project volume: 
4,196,900 €
Currency: 
€
Value of services: 
3,147,675 €
Start of project: 
July, 2021
End of project: 
December, 2025
Project background: 

The Government of Egypt attaches a high priority to the safe disposal of wastewater in rural areas and in 2015 launched the National Rural Sanitation Programme (NRSP), which aims at providing universal access to sanitation in rural Egypt, through financing investments in the areas deprived of sanitation infrastructure (wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), sewage networks and pump stations). The NRSP is consistent with other Government initiatives and has been adopted as one of the key Presidential Programmes. Drinking water and wastewater services are heavily subsidised by the Government and service fees account for a small percentage of the actual costs of water supply and sanitation respectively.

The project will include investments in wastewater collection and treatment, management of solid waste and rehabilitation of the drain infrastructure. It will improve the living standards of the rural population in the catchment area of the Kitchener Drain, improve public health and environmental conditions and enhance agricultural economic activities in the area.

Service description: 

Services for the following 9 work packages are to be undertaken by the PIC:

  1. Programme management
  2. Finalisation of project preparation work
  3. Development of a procurement strategy, a detailed procurement plan as well as preparation of standard tender documents for all contracts under the project
  4. Technical assistance during the procurement of all contracts (same procedure applies to all tenders) under the project.
  5. Contract management
  6. Assurance of compliance with health and safety procedures
  7. Preparation of an environmental and social strategy for the project
  8. Transition into the operating phase and improvement of conditions for operations and maintenance including O&M and business planning
  9. Project governance (incl. monitoring and support to implementing agencies with stakeholder collaboration)

 

Overall investment budget for the wastewater component is Euro 222.6m.

Main KPIs are as follows:

  • Length of new sewer pipes to be installed: 1,200 km (including pumping stations)
  • Extension of 6 WWTPs, rehabilitation of 24 WWTPs, one new WWTP with secondary treatment (Conventional Activated Sludge, Extended Aeration, Sequencing Batch Reactor, Moving Biofilm Bed Reactor) and with capacities varying between 1,000 and 90,000 m³/day

Population to be served by the project is approx. 700,000 (2021)

Objectives: 

Overall objective:

The overall objectives of the project are to support the depollution of the Kitchener Drain and the Mediterranean Sea as well as to improve the health and environmental situation of the people living in the project's catchment area (i.e. in the Governorates of Dakahlia, Gharbia and Kafr El-Sheikh).

Moreover, the project will seek to strengthen the agricultural economy in this area by improving the irrigation water quality. The project and the Kitchener programme overall are also foreseen to mitigate climate change and lead to job creation.

Specific objective:

The purpose of the PIC is to assist the MHUUC/PMU, HCWW and the WSCs in Kafr El-Sheikh, Gharbia and Dakahlia to implement Component 1 (wastewater) of the project in a timely and efficient manner and latest by 2025.

This will involve support along the entire project implementation cycle, including further preparatory studies (particularly the review, verification and update of the existing (FS) studies), preparation of a detailed investment plan and preparation of conceptual design and tender documentation (according to FIDIC Conditions of Contract Yellow Book), procurement support, development and compliance with environmental and social standards and assurance of health and safety procedures during preparation and implementation stages. Moreover, the PIC is expected to provide capacity building to the implementing entities to ensure that by the end of the project they have improved implementation, operation and management capabilities.

Result: 

The TA will support MHUUC/PMU, HCWW and the WSCs in the achievement of the following results:

  • The project scope of Component 1 (Wastewater/Sanitation) of the Kitchener Drain Project, is completed in a timely and efficient manner and the latest by 2025.
  • The EIB/EU loan and NIP investment grant are drawn in a timely manner and according to schedule and the Borrower remains in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Finance Contract and the Grant Agreement throughout the life of the transaction.
  • Fulfilment of the various contractual undertakings, in particular with respect to cost recovery.
  • The project is implemented in full compliance with E&S, H&S standards, rules and procedures (e.g. on procurement, environment, and social matters, including the relevant environmental approvals, the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and the Environmental and Social Management Plan).
  • The project is implemented in full coordination with all project stakeholders.
  • The various committees are established and maintained (with regular meetings).
Currency: 
€