Water
One of the greatest challenges in Egypt today is the number of poor rural and urban households who need access to clean water supply and well-functioning sewage networks.
The Egyptian population generally has access to water (all cities and more than 90 pct. of villages have water supply services). However, in most poor areas the water is contaminated with different types of bacteria and microorganisms.
The situation has motivated the Egyptian government in the new Five Year Plan (2007-2012) to allocate more than LE 72 billion to expand the water supply service and hereby increase the public’s access to water and sanitation.
However, even with these unprecedented investments, only 40 pct. of Egyptian villages will have sewage service.
Large demand for water purification units
Only around five percent of the poor population can afford water filters. There is therefore a significant demand for more affordable water purification units. It is widely acknowledged among the public that the contaminated water leads to poor health and consequently high cost for health care products at the pharmacies.
Because of a fundamental lack of trust in public authorities, poor consumers value private water purification units (filters etc.) and not purification systems centralised in public water supply tanks and divisions. By installing water purification units in private households it is possible for consumers to feel in control of the water purification process.
Business opportunities
Water purification units: Due to the contaminated water, poor people use much time and money on health care which could be spent otherwise.
- Poor people need affordable water purification units and they are willing to pay for it
- Poor people desire private household purification systems. They have little trust in centralised purification systems