Libya Water & WastewaterA Brief Sector Overview

British Water Seminar, London – 5th March 2013

Khaled El Mayet

• Libya’s annual water usage exceeds 5 billion cubic metres (m³) per annum

(approximately 85% for agriculture, 13% domestic usage and 2% for

industry).

• However only 8% of Libya gets above 50mm of rainfall per annum with the

maximum in the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountains) reaching 550mm per

annum.

• 97% of Libya’s capacity comes from underground water with sea-water

desalination accounting for less than 100 million m³ per annum and

surface water contributing around 30 million m³.

Introduction

Structure – Key Stakeholders

Ministry of Water Resources

• General Water Authority (GWA) – responsible for surface water building and operating

Dams.

• National Desalination Company (NDC)

• Manmade River Organisation (no longer Great!)

Ministry of Housing & Utilities

• National Water & Wastewater Company (NWWC)

• Housing & Infrastructure Board (HIB)

The National Centre for Standards (NCS) – applies standards, water supply and

sanitation.

The Environmental General Authority (EGA) – monitors water quality

The National Water Supply Plan

• In 1999 Libya developed a 25 year (2000 – 2025) strategic development plan for

National water supply with the aim of generating sustainable development and

preserving reserves.

• The strategic plan was accepted in 2005 leading to the establishment of the: Housing

& Infrastructure Board (HIB), the National Desalination Company (NDC) and the

National Water & Wastewater Company (NWWC).

• The plans were updated in 2008 when the Ministry of Water, Electricity & Gas (the

responsible Ministry at the time) appointed Booz Allen Hamilton to prepare a master

plan for domestic water supply in Libya.

• Further to this in 2009 the Ministry of Water, Electricity & Gas made an agreement

with FAO to update the 2000 – 2025 strategy.

• The majority of these strategic plans dating back to the original 1999 document

although widely referenced have not been implemented.

The Ministry of Water Resources

• The newly established Ministry of Water Resources reflects the core

importance and consideration Libya’s new interim government have given

to water as part of the countries development plans.

• It is expected that the new Ministry will revisit and look to update existing

strategic plans. However the Ministry is currently pre-occupied with

administrative issues including recruitment and find new offices (they are

currently housed within the offices of the GWA)

• The Minister of Water Resources – Elhadi Suleiman Hinsheer, (61) has a

formidable track record in the local industry holding a bachelor’s degree in

geological science from Tripoli University (1975), he has more than 30

years’ experience in the sector having worked in exploration, with the

Ministry of Damns and Water Resources and in managerial positions within

the NWWC.

Demand Management vs. Supply

• Future strategy should focus on water management, paying attention to

demand management rather than focusing on increasing supply. Domestic

per capita usage in Libya is high at 350 litres per day compared to an

international average on 250 litres).

• A large amount of water supplied through pipe networks is lost due to

leakage therefore reducing water losses in networks is an important factor

in increasing supply.

The Manmade River (MMR)

• The MMR – formerly the ‘Great’ Manmade River has come under the wing of the

Ministry of Water Resources.

• The MMR is a 4,000 km network of pipelines linking large underground aquifers

at Kufra, Murzuq and Sarir to Libya’s coastal towns and cities, accounts for

more than 60% (1.6 million m³ per day) to Libya’s total water requirements.

• Since the project began in the early 1980’s it has cost the government more

than $20bn.

• Many major cities and towns are connected to the MMR including Ajdabia,

Benghazi, Sirte, Misurata, Zliten, Garabouly, Tripoli, Bani Walid and Ghariyan.

• The MMR still needs to be connected to other areas including the Nafousa

Mountains (West of Tripoli).

Desalination

• Libya’s National Desalination Company which owns and operates

desalination plants nationwide is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Water

Resources with Headquarters in Benghazi.

• Total production from seawater desalination is less than 250,000 m³ per

day which is less than 100 million m³ per annum.

• Previously plans were drafted to add 1 million m³ per day to the existing

desalination capacity in Libya with major plants planned for Tripoli and

Benghazi on a Build Own Operation basis, however nothing has been

concluded.

Desalination – Active Plants

• Tobruk – 40,000 m³ per day active (40,000 m³ offline)

• Al Marj – 40,000 m³ per day active (40,000 m³ additional capacity not commissioned)

• Soussa – 10,000 m³ per day active (30,000 m³ offline)

• Boumba Khaleej (East of Derna) – 5,000 m³ (capacity of 30,000 m³ reduced due to age)

• Zliten – 15,000 m³ per day (capacity 30,000 m³)

• Zwara – 40,000 m³ per day (40,000 m³ additional capacity not commissioned)

• Zawia – (80,000 m³ per day waiting for power generation station to be commissioned).

National Water & Wastewater Company (NWWC)

• The NWWC is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Housing & Infrastructure. Its

Headquarters are in Tripoli but it also maintains a number of regional

offices.

• The NWWC is responsible for operation and maintenance of all water and

wastewater facilities for domestic supplies and services (it is not

responsible for agricultural applications which are provided by the

Manmade River or other ground wells, or industrial applications which

utilise ground water and desalination for power generation).

• The NWWC has recently been given responsibility for connecting supply

from the Manmade River acting as the contracting body for connecting the

MMR network to residential networks in cities, towns and villages.

National Water & Wastewater Company (NWWC)

• The NWWC employs approximately 18,000 people, maintaining a 35,000

km water network with 8,000 km of wastewater and storm water

networking and approximately 1,800 water wells, 350 water pumping

stations, 150 wastewater and storm water pumping stations and over

1,000 elevated and underground water tanks.

• The NWWC is also responsible for more than 40 wastewater treatment

plants ranging from small regional plants with a capacity of 2,000 – 3,000

m³ per day up to the Tripoli which has a capacity of 40,000 m³ in Phase 1

and 110,000 m³ in Phase 2 (commissioned in 1986 and revamped in

2005).

Regional Distribution – Local Focus

• It is expected that once the Local Government Law (2012) is implemented

Local councils will be given more control over management of water

resources and implementation of projects. This may have structural

implications for the NWWC in terms of decentralising the decision making

processes and project implementation.

• This may mean that local authorities will seek to engage directly with

contractors and service providers.

Housing & Infrastructure Board (HIB)

• The Housing & Infrastructure Board which comes under the remit of the

Ministry of Housing & Utilities is responsible for executing infrastructure

projects for urban communities and new housing projects including water

and wastewater infrastructure.

• HIB has a portfolio of projects worth over LYD 3bn, including major housing

projects, however the majority of utility projects have not yet been

contracted.

Opportunities

• Infrastructure for water networking

• Public Private Partnerships with local authorities

• Wastewater networking

• Storm water networking for coastal cities

• Pumping stations for water, wastewater and storm water

• Wastewater treatment plants

• Desalination

• HR capacity building and training