Holding Company for Water and Wastewater

The Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (HCWW) is an Egyptian state-owned holding company responsible for the treatment, desalination, production, distribution and management of drinking water, as well as the treatment and safe disposal of wastewater. It was established by Presidential Decree No. 135 of 2004 and operates under the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities. The company was created to unify a previously fragmented utility sector, where each governorate managed water and sanitation under different organizational models, leading to inconsistent policies and deteriorating service. HCWW serves as the central entity through which government support and sector-wide policies are channeled. HCWW's mandate covers the entire water cycle: abstraction and treatment of raw water, desalination where needed, distribution of potable water, collection and treatment of sewage, and safe disposal or reuse of treated effluent and sludge. It oversees a large network of affiliated companies — 25 subsidiary companies according to its Arabic Wikipedia entry — that operate at the governorate level. These subsidiaries are responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance, billing and customer service, while HCWW sets strategic direction, investment planning and performance standards. The company operates within a dense legislative framework, including Law 27 of 1978 on public water resources for drinking and human use, Law 93 of 1962 on liquid waste and sanitation, Law 203 of 2003 on the public business sector, and various ministerial decrees and Egyptian codes governing water quality, sludge handling and wastewater reuse. HCWW's official website is hcww.com.eg, and it maintains a public presence through official social media channels. As a government holding company, HCWW is not listed on a stock exchange. Its funding comes from the state budget, tariffs collected by subsidiaries, and international development partners. The company plays a central role in Egypt's efforts to expand access to safe drinking water and sanitation, particularly in rural areas, and to improve the financial and operational performance of the sector. Its establishment marked a shift from locally managed utilities to a more centralized, corporatized model of public service delivery.

Before 2004, Egypt's water and wastewater sector was highly fragmented. Utilities were managed by directorates of utilities in each governorate, and each governorate had its own organizational model: some were economic authorities, some were public business sector companies, and others were attached to local administration units under governorate authority. There was no central entity capable of unifying concepts and general policies to improve the sector, and no effective mechanism for genuine affiliation with the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities. The sector's condition had reached a very poor and deteriorating state, forcing the state to support this vital sector. It became necessary to create a unified entity to which support could be directed to advance the sector. In response, the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater was established by Presidential Decree No. 135 of 2004 as a holding company specialized in the purification, desalination, production, distribution and management of the drinking water sector, and the treatment and safe disposal of wastewater. It was placed under the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, within the ministry's general bureau for utilities. The company operates under a comprehensive set of laws and regulations. These include Law 27 of 1978 on public water resources for drinking and human use, whose Article 6 tasked the Ministry of Health with setting health requirements and specifications; various ministerial decisions on sampling and drinking water quality (e.g., Decision No. 301 of 1995, Decision No. 458 of 2007); Law 93 of 1962 on liquid waste, sanitation and industrial drainage; Ministry of Housing decisions on executive regulations (No. 44 of 2000, No. 253 of 2003 adding the eighth chapter on safe sludge handling); the Egyptian Code No. 501 of 2005 on wastewater reuse in agriculture (issued by Ministry decision No. 171 of 2005 and amended in 2015); the Egyptian Code No. 103/1 on operation and maintenance of drinking water plants (Ministry decision No. 331 of 2007); Chapter Six of the executive regulations of Law 48 of 1982 on protecting the Nile River (Ministry of Water Resources decision No. 92 of 2013); Law 9 of 2009 amending Law 4 of 1994 on the environment and its executive regulations (Prime Minister decision No. 338 of 1995 and amendments); Law 203 of 2003 on the public business sector; Presidential Decree No. 135 of 2004 establishing the holding company; and Presidential Decree No. 2703 of 1966 on the Supreme Committee for Water. HCWW's administrative structure includes a central holding company and 25 subsidiary companies operating across Egypt's governorates. These subsidiaries handle operational management, maintenance, customer service and revenue collection. The holding company provides strategic oversight, investment planning and coordination with the ministry and international partners. Over the years, HCWW has been involved in national programs to expand water and sanitation coverage, improve service quality, and implement sector reforms, often with support from international financial institutions. Its official website and Facebook page serve as public communication channels.

• 2015

  Egyptian Code No. 501 of 2005 on wastewater reuse amended.

• 2013

  Chapter Six of the executive regulations of Law 48 of 1982 on protecting the Nile River issued by Ministry of Water Resources decision No. 92 of 2013.

• 2007

  Egyptian Code No. 103/1 on operation and maintenance of drinking water plants issued by Ministry decision No. 331 of 2007.

• 2005

  Egyptian Code No. 501 of 2005 on wastewater reuse in agriculture issued by Ministry decision No. 171 of 2005.

• 2004

  Established by Presidential Decree No. 135 of 2004 as a state-owned holding company for drinking water and wastewater.

• 2004

  Placed under the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities.

State-owned holding company centralizing Egypt's drinking water and wastewater sector under the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities.

• Drinking water treatment and distribution

  Purification, desalination, production and distribution of drinking water through governorate-level subsidiaries.

• Wastewater collection and treatment

  Collection, treatment and safe disposal of sewage and industrial wastewater.

• Sludge management

  Safe handling and disposal of sludge, regulated under the eighth chapter of the executive regulations.

• Treated wastewater reuse

  Reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture, governed by Egyptian Code No. 501 of 2005.

1. 1Official websitehcww.com.eg
2. 2Wikidata entrywikidata.org
3. 3Arabic Wikipedia articlear.wikipedia.org