Agricultural Drainage Treatment, Recycling and Reuse Plant - Al Amahsama, Egypt

Introduction

The Egyptian Government introduced a progressive, multi-pronged strategy to safeguard and preserve the nation’s natural resources through a comprehensive water security agenda. This strategy focuses on wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse, as well as seawater desalination in coastal areas, in line with Egypt Vision 2030, which emphasizes economic, social, and environmental development.

The Al Mahsamma Project, located in the Ismailia Governorate, is the world’s largest plant of its kind, built over an area of 420,000 m² with a treatment capacity of 1,000,000 m³/day. The plant contributes to the irrigation of 70,000 acres of land in Sinai, supporting the government’s efforts to develop the region through sustainable urban communities and job creation.

The project also plays a key role in preserving the natural ecology of Lake Timsah, located west of the Suez Canal, which has historically been impacted by untreated wastewater discharge.

The USD 100 million project was developed by the JV MetiPro – Hassan Allam, under the supervision of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority. The JV scope included engineering, construction, operations (E&C&O), commissioning, and operation & maintenance for five years.

Drainage water is transferred to the plant from the Ismailia Irrigation Drainage Canal, located west of the Suez Canal, through two individual pumping stations crossing underneath the canal (old and new branches) into a siphon system.

From the siphon, water is pumped through the plant’s pump station using eight vertical turbine pumps:

• 6 duty pumps

• 2 standby pumps

• Each pump rated at 7,000 m³/hr

The treated water meets the highest quality standards and specifications set by the Egyptian Government for irrigation and land reclamation.

Scope of Work

Main JV Scope

• Engineering and civil design

• Civil material supply

• Civil construction

• Installation of electromechanical equipment

• Testing and start-up

• Commissioning on a turnkey basis

• Operation and maintenance for 5 years

MetiPro Scope Includes

• Process and electromechanical design

• Procurement and supply of electromechanical equipment

• Coordination and supervision of civil works design

• Intake pump station with 8 × 7,000 m³/hr vertical turbine pumps

• 8 flocculation tanks, each 48.5 m long and 8.5 m wide, with 5 gate mixers per tank

• 8 tube settler clarifiers with 1.6 m high lamella tubes

• 28 disc filters with maximum flow rate of 1,600 m³/hr and 25 μm mesh

• 3 gravity sludge thickeners, 19 m diameter and 5 m depth

• Mechanical dewatering stage with:

  • 5 belt presses

  • 32.5 m horizontal belt conveyor

  • 7 m inclined belt conveyor for sludge handling

Key Benefits

Environmental Benefits

• Sustainable reuse of 1,000,000 m³/day of agricultural drainage water for irrigation

• Irrigation of 70,000 acres of dry land in Sinai Peninsula

• Energy-efficient operation using only 0.1 kWh/m³, achieved through optimized and efficient design

• Minimal environmental footprint with effective land-use optimization

• Contribution toward UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), job creation, and regional development

Challenges

• Completion achieved in a record 12 months, compared to the industry standard of 24–36 months for projects of similar scale

• Strategic location near the Suez Canal imposed strict restrictions on transportation, logistics, and site communication

• Construction activities had to be halted at times to ensure uninterrupted navigation through the canal

• Limited land availability required precise and efficient installation of large-scale equipment in confined spaces