# Raw sewage used for farming



## aykalam

Water shortage is a growing issue in Egypt and many farmers in the Nile Delta are resorting to irrigating their farm land with untreated sewage water 

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/471102


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## Lanason

aykalam said:


> Water shortage is a growing issue in Egypt and many farmers in the Nile Delta are resorting to irrigating their farm land with untreated sewage water
> 
> Sewage-fed vegetable plots pose health riskin Egypt | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt


well someone has nicked the water from Rehab over the last week ore so.:eyebrows::eyebrows:


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## MaidenScotland

Lanason said:


> well someone has nicked the water from Rehab over the last week ore so.:eyebrows::eyebrows:




I have a house but no water... still waiting for it to be switched back on but I didnt steal your water


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## aykalam

Lanason said:


> well someone has nicked the water from Rehab over the last week ore so.:eyebrows::eyebrows:


They were diverting the water from Rehab to chuck it all down on Wimbledon  

BTW, If anyone in Egypt wants to watch the tennis, is being shown live on Nova Sports, in English :clap2:


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> Water shortage is a growing issue in Egypt and many farmers in the Nile Delta are resorting to irrigating their farm land with untreated sewage water
> 
> http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/471102


Nothing new in that.......


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## mamasue

Raw sewage has been used for a long time by hotels and in public areas in Egypt to water plants......
I'm not surprised farmers are using it too!!


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## aykalam

mamasue said:


> Raw sewage has been used for a long time by hotels and in public areas in Egypt to water plants......
> I'm not surprised farmers are using it too!!


Yes but there's a difference between watering plants/grass with it (which is not very hygienic anyway) and spraying sewage all over your salad and fruit  

strawberries anyone?


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## Sonrisa

aykalam said:


> Yes but there's a difference between watering plants/grass with it (which is not very hygienic anyway) and spraying sewage all over your salad and fruit
> 
> strawberries anyone?


lol, if they don't kill you, they'll make you stronger  
Given the average of stomach bugs I get in a given year in Egypt, one would think that this is not new. 
Better not to think how they've grown them. Their strawberries are lovely.

And I think today my stomach is a lot stronger than before I lived in Egypt.


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## Eco-Mariner

So the recent Spanish e-coli deaths are not a warning sign?

Look everyone, millions holiday in Egypt. Stop being selfish. I know 90% of Nile cruises taken end up with Pharoahs revenge, but Egypt shouldn't add to its woes.

What the government and private business (small or large) won't do, is drill for the water under the Nile and Delta. Apparently there is 10 times the water in the water-table than in the Nile itself according to the scientists.

So it's surely about inward investment rather than poisoning the public and scaring them away.


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> So the recent Spanish e-coli deaths are not a warning sign?


Are you referring to the people who died in Germany? These were not "Spanish e-coli deaths", if you cared to read/watch/listen to the news you would know the German outbreak's source was a bean sprouts farm...in Germany


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> Look everyone, millions holiday in Egypt. Stop being selfish.


Huh? How is discussing the country's water shortage issue being selfish?


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## marenostrum

aykalam said:


> Yes but there's a difference between watering plants/grass with it (which is not very hygienic anyway) and spraying sewage all over your salad and fruit
> 
> strawberries anyone?


In a lot of these hotels they spray the stuff on the gardens where children play.
Same risk as catching something via food.


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## Eco-Mariner

*Tourists and locals*



aykalam said:


> Huh? How is discussing the country's water shortage issue being selfish?


Locals are immune. After a while ex-pats can become immune.

It's selfish to think that others who visit in their millions (or should I say used to be millions) each year should have to be immune to put up with the same hygiene and standards. Especially when they pay a high price as tourists.

I do apologise. The bean sprout seeds I heard may have come from laboratories in the UK. Maybe grown on in Spain, packed and sold to eat in Germany.... Again, who knows.

But the real story is "do we have to revert back to Victorian times?"
The technology is there. Use the income to satisfy customers, not poisen them.


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## hurghadapat

mamasue said:


> Raw sewage has been used for a long time by hotels and in public areas in Egypt to water plants......
> I'm not surprised farmers are using it too!!


I had plants growing around the outside of my villa and when someones elses drains where blocked they decided to empty the contents of the drains onto my plants so in no time i had the most wonderful crop of tomato plants growing (i didn't plant them) was puzzled at first as to where they had come from then realized....what do egyptians consume in large quantities...used in almost all of the meals they cook....TOMATOES....never did get round to eating them


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## MaidenScotland

hurghadapat said:


> I had plants growing around the outside of my villa and when someones elses drains where blocked they decided to empty the contents of the drains onto my plants so in no time i had the most wonderful crop of tomato plants growing (i didn't plant them) was puzzled at first as to where they had come from then realized....what do egyptians consume in large quantities...used in almost all of the meals they cook....TOMATOES....never did get round to eating them




dont blame you lol

You just have to look round any sewage works in any part of the world and there is always tomato plants growing on the crust


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## aykalam

hurghadapat said:


> I had plants growing around the outside of my villa and when someones elses drains where blocked they decided to empty the contents of the drains onto my plants so in no time i had the most wonderful crop of tomato plants growing (i didn't plant them) was puzzled at first as to where they had come from then realized....what do egyptians consume in large quantities...used in almost all of the meals they cook....TOMATOES....never did get round to eating them


lol those were definitely organic tomatoes!

Nothing wrong with organic fertilizers but I still can't get over the fact that these people are literally watering our food with sewage...


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> Locals are immune. After a while ex-pats can become immune.
> 
> It's selfish to think that others who visit in their millions (or should I say used to be millions) each year should have to be immune to put up with the same hygiene and standards. Especially when they pay a high price as tourists.
> 
> I do apologise. The bean sprout seeds I heard may have come from laboratories in the UK. Maybe grown on in Spain, packed and sold to eat in Germany.... Again, who knows.
> 
> But the real story is "do we have to revert back to Victorian times?"
> The technology is there. Use the income to satisfy customers, not poisen them.


Not sure if you have read the original link, but I would like to point out this paragraph:

"According to medical experts, there could be a link between the rise in the number of kidney failure, liver cancer and respiratory disease cases in Egypt and the use of unclean water for irrigating vegetable and fruit farms."

That to me indicates that NOBODY is immune, but then again I'm not a doctor 

I think we can all agree that a major investment in infrastructure is needed in Egypt, especially since there are millions of people living without basic utilities, such as clean running water.


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> lol those were definitely organic tomatoes!
> 
> Nothing wrong with organic fertilizers but I still can't get over the fact that these people are literally watering our food with sewage...


Not only do they water with raw sewage they also use harmful chemicals which are in cheap fertilizers.....the better fertilizers are used on the produce which is grown for export...that was in one of the egyptian news papers a few years ago.


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> Not sure if you have read the original link, but I would like to point out this paragraph:
> 
> "According to medical experts, there could be a link between the rise in the number of kidney failure, liver cancer and respiratory disease cases in Egypt and the use of unclean water for irrigating vegetable and fruit farms."
> 
> That to me indicates that NOBODY is immune, but then again I'm not a doctor
> 
> I think we can all agree that a major investment in infrastructure is needed in Egypt, especially since there are millions of people living without basic utilities, such as clean running water.


Would think that this has more to do with the chemicals in the fertilizers than so called "unclean water"


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## Eco-Mariner

Exactly guys and gals.

I saw on the news how the IMF are to grant Egypt with $3billion (I believe, could be 30) and used to help the economy and its people.

Then I read it would be used to sort Cairo's traffic congestion..... That leads me to think it won't be used for either, let alone sanitation and clean water.


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## aykalam

hurghadapat said:


> Would think that this has more to do with the chemicals in the fertilizers than so called "unclean water"


Like I said, I am not a doctor, too many chemicals are definitely not good for anyone's health but can you get immune to things like e-coli?...


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> Exactly guys and gals.
> 
> I saw on the news how the IMF are to grant Egypt with $3billion (I believe, could be 30) and used to help the economy and its people.
> 
> Then I read it would be used to sort Cairo's traffic congestion..... That leads me to think it won't be used for either, let alone sanitation and clean water.


oh dear, you really need to catch up with the news: Egypt has withdrawn the IMF loan application. :clap2:


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## hurghadapat

aykalam said:


> Like I said, I am not a doctor, too many chemicals are definitely not good for anyone's health but can you get immune to things like e-coli?...


:noidea: but don't they say that the more you are exposed to these sort of things the more your body can resist them.


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## Eco-Mariner

aykalam said:


> oh dear, you really need to catch up with the news: Egypt has withdrawn the IMF loan application. :clap2:


Hmmm sarcasm... This was only decided today. BBC news- 25 June 2011 Last updated at 12:43 

quote:
Egypt has dropped plans to seek loans from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Finance Minister Samir Radwan has said. But he had turned to the IMF in May, telling the BBC that the situation was "very difficult", and extra funds were needed to finance the demands of the people on the heels of the revolution.

He agreed to a $3bn (£1.9bn) 12-month stand-by loan facility - an agreement which came on top of loan deals agreed with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. 
Instead, he said Egypt would cover the greater part of the deficit from "local sources", as well as packages from Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which he said had provided $500m in the past week as a "gift".

Nice.... 

Will it clean the water for the farmers?
What will the Gulf Arab States require in return?


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> Hmmm sarcasm... This was only decided today. BBC news- 25 June 2011 Last updated at 12:43
> 
> quote:
> Egypt has dropped plans to seek loans from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Finance Minister Samir Radwan has said. But he had turned to the IMF in May, telling the BBC that the situation was "very difficult", and extra funds were needed to finance the demands of the people on the heels of the revolution.
> 
> He agreed to a $3bn (£1.9bn) 12-month stand-by loan facility - an agreement which came on top of loan deals agreed with the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
> Instead, he said Egypt would cover the greater part of the deficit from "local sources", as well as packages from Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which he said had provided $500m in the past week as a "gift".
> 
> Nice....
> 
> Will it clean the water for the farmers?
> What will the Gulf Arab States require in return?


lol yes the minister came up with this jewel today. Like you say, all "donors" will have their own agenda, no such thing as a free lunch. Best part is he says that they listened to Egyptian public opinion, which was against taking IMF loans, and will find the funds to close the gap from"local sources" Are they going to start playing the lottery? :clap2:


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## Eco-Mariner

Certainly not a lottery with tourists.
They've learned a big lesson.

Obviously not with property investors.
They've lost the lot.

Maybe they think they can use the funds they get back from Mubarak and his regime?
That's well and truly spent. If it isn't now it will be by the time the lawyers and government get hold of it.
Answer: Nothing to come..... Same old same old. 

Oh and the water! It has to be a catastrophy before the new Administration bother, then that's the end of tourism, so forget M.B. and Sharia law, it's the least of Egypt's worries.


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## aykalam

This was in the news 2 years ago


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## Eco-Mariner

When people from the outside world get to read about the fish farms using sewage to grow them 
http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/472663 

and the vegetables grown from sewage, with this policy one would imagine the government doesn't really want visitors.


Eco-Mariner


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> When people from the outside world get to read about the fish farms using sewage to grow them
> Increasing demand for fish in Egypt puts environment at risk | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt
> 
> and the vegetables grown from sewage, with this policy one would imagine the government doesn't really want visitors.
> 
> 
> Eco-Mariner


yes, I've seen this one before, I actually posted a thread on this too. This country never ceases to amaze me 

It's not just lack of visitors they should worry about: with the very strict H&S rules in Europe they could face a ban on exports to the whole of the EU due to health hazardous farming methods. So stupid...


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## Eco-Mariner

Do you think the Egyptian Government "civil servants" read these blogs and take notice?

Or are we farting in the wind?


Eco.


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> Do you think the Egyptian Government "civil servants" read these blogs and take notice?
> 
> Or are we farting in the wind?
> 
> 
> Eco.


:spit:

We may be, although the technocrats seem to be getting quite internet savvy, what with statements being made public via FB and so on. 

There is also a big campaign on at the moment against property development in the Fayoum area by Amer Group and Orascom. Is it too late I wonder?


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## Eco-Mariner

These are two top companies I work with, however it's all about planning ahead with sustainable and environmental developments.

And not repeating the legacy of the last two centuries.

My years of trying to convince them, fell on deaf ears. But times are changing and I have real hopes and aspirations for this younger generation. My only fear is an Islamic government that puts religion ahead of people's needs.


Eco.


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## aykalam

Eco-Mariner said:


> These are two top companies I work with, however it's all about planning ahead with sustainable and environmental developments.
> 
> And not repeating the legacy of the last two centuries.
> 
> My years of trying to convince them, fell on deaf ears. But times are changing and I have real hopes and aspirations for this younger generation. My only fear is an Islamic government that puts religion ahead of people's needs.
> 
> 
> Eco.


You may have seen this video already, I find it heartbreaking (watch to the end)


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## aykalam

aykalam said:


> It's not just lack of visitors they should worry about: with the very strict H&S rules in Europe they could face a ban on exports to the whole of the EU due to health hazardous farming methods. So stupid...


well...guess what, it's happened now and EU has banned all imports of seeds from Egypt due to the e-coli outbreak 

EU bans import of Egyptian seeds linked to E. coli | News by Country | Reuters


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## MaidenScotland

aykalam said:


> well...guess what, it's happened now and EU has banned all imports of seeds from Egypt due to the e-coli outbreak
> 
> EU bans import of Egyptian seeds linked to E. coli | News by Country | Reuters


Egypt will never learn..


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## Eco-Mariner

EU bans import of Egyptian seeds linked to E. coli

quote: Reuters Africa.

_All fenugreek seeds exported to Europe since 2009 by the Egyptian company identified as the source of the contaminated batch must be withdrawn, tested and destroyed, the Commission said, without identifying the company involved._

One has to ask, why it's not important to identify the company. Surely that lets the authorities off the hook and could allow the seriousness of the situation go unpunished and not exposed to the wider public. 

What I find incredible about Egypt's press is how easy they can cover-up.


Eco.


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## MaidenScotland

Eco-Mariner said:


> EU bans import of Egyptian seeds linked to E. coli
> 
> quote: Reuters Africa.
> 
> All fenugreek seeds exported to Europe since 2009 by the Egyptian company identified as the source of the contaminated batch must be withdrawn, tested and destroyed, the Commission said, without identifying the company involved.
> 
> One has to ask, why it's not important to identify the company. Surely that lets the authorities off the hook and could allow the seriousness of the situation go unpunished and not exposed to the wider public.
> 
> What I find incredible about Egypt's press is how easy they can cover-up.
> 
> Eco.


Why you would find the press here incredible about cover ups is a mystery to me


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## aykalam

As usual, Egyptian authorities in de-nile 

E. coli contaminated seeds: Is Egypt the root? - Economy - Business - Ahram Online

Mind you, they have a fair argument as initially the Germans made a booboo out of the whole thing blaming it on Spanish cucumbers :boxing:


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