Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Dr. Mahmoud Abu Zeid said preparations are underway for the project for maintaining water and developing irrigation in 90,000 feddans in West Delta.

This is the first stage of the project which will cover 255,000 feddans. Initial costs of the project were put at $ 213 million. The project is financed by the World Bank, French Development Agency and the Dutch Government. The statement was made by Abu Zeid at the completion of feasibility study by the Ministry and World Bank. The private sector companies are to carry out the project and the Egyptian government would bear no burdens.

The new West Delta project is to shift Nile water from Rasheed Nile Branch estimated at 12 million cubic meters a day to the location of the reclamation of 255,000 feddans and later 170,000 feddans.