Exploring changes in water use patterns, demand and stress along the Nile River Basin through the lens of Kenya and Egypt
Anne Wambui Mumbi
A and Li Fengting A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse Study, Tongji University, Siping Road 1239, Shanghai, 200092, PR China.
B Corresponding author. Email: fengting@tongji.edu.cn
Marine and Freshwater Research 71(11) 1478-1487 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19396
Submitted: 27 December 2019 Accepted: 29 February 2020 Published: 27 March 2020
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Noting the geopolitical implications of water demand and stress issues on water resources worldwide, this study investigated water demand, changes in water use patterns and water stress developments in the Nile Basin transboundary water resource by comparing Egypt and Kenya. Using an integrative literature review, the study summarises past research, drawing overall conclusions and highlighting unresolved issues. The findings demonstrate increased water withdrawals and a growing unmet demand in both countries. In addition to changing water use patterns towards municipal and industrial use, hydropower development in Kenya and navigation in Egypt are being driven by factors such as heightened upstream use, population growth and settlement patterns, economic development and climate change. In addition, spatial distribution of water stress was demonstrated, whereby downstream countries such as Egypt remain critically vulnerable, although upper riparian countries such as Kenya are gradually also facing emerging water stress problems. This water stress and its spatial distribution are being driven by supply–demand imbalances related to population growth and economic development, escalating upstream water use, deteriorating water quality, inefficient and ineffective water use and climate change. The findings inform a discussion of the crucial socioeconomic, geopolitical and policy implications for riparian countries in the Nile Basin and other transboundary water resources worldwide.
Additional keywords: policies, transboundary resources water demand, water stress.
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