Within the framework of supporting the national quality and accreditation infrastructure and enhancing the technical competence of national laboratories, the Central Laboratory of the Groundwater Sector in El-Wadi El-Gedid has successfully obtained the renewal of its accreditation by the Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC) for a number of chemical and microbiological water testing activities, for a period of four years from December 2025 to December 2029, in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 for the competence of testing laboratories.
The renewal of accreditation reflects EGAC’s pivotal role in ensuring the technical competence, impartiality, and reliability of laboratory testing results, thereby enhancing confidence in the national testing and measurement system and supporting the State’s efforts toward the sustainable management of water resources.
In this context, Dr. Hani Sewilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to developing its affiliated laboratories, equipping them with the latest high-tech instruments, and continuously enhancing the competencies of laboratory personnel through specialized training programs. These efforts aim to maximize the utilization of laboratory capabilities, expand the scope of international accreditation in the future, and reinforce the vital role of scientific research and modern technology in water management and water quality monitoring, within the framework of the second generation of the Water System 2.0.
The Minister further noted that the Central Laboratory in El-Wadi El-Gedid was established in accordance with the latest applicable international standards and quality requirements, and has been supported with advanced equipment, instruments, and laboratory supplies. In addition, specialized training programs for chemists have been implemented, enabling the laboratory to obtain and renew international accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 by EGAC, positioning it among the leading laboratories nationwide in the field of chemical and bacteriological water analysis.
On another front, Dr. Sewilam reaffirmed the Ministry’s keenness to ensure compliance with regulations and conditions governing the use of groundwater resources. This is achieved through continuous monitoring by the Groundwater Sector’s technical teams across various governorates, using an integrated monitoring and control system for groundwater wells operated by the Ministry, in parallel with facilitating licensing procedures through the recently launched electronic licensing system. These measures aim to ensure the optimal and rational use of this vital water resource, particularly given the non-renewable nature of deep groundwater in Egypt.
It is worth noting that the Central Laboratory supervises three subsidiary laboratories located in Minya, Tanta, and El-Dakhla. The laboratory has successfully participated in and passed numerous international proficiency testing schemes outside Egypt over the past years, including programs organized by internationally recognized reference laboratories such as LGC Laboratory in London, in addition to participation in interlaboratory comparison tests with governmental reference laboratories abroad. Furthermore, the Central Laboratory has been nominated as a reference laboratory, reflecting its distinguished performance and placing it among high-performing laboratories at the regional and international levels.
The Egyptian Accreditation Council (EGAC) reaffirms its ongoing commitment to supporting and developing national laboratories, strengthening their technical competence in line with international standards, and enhancing trust in testing and calibration results, in support of national development plans, environmental protection, and the sustainable management of natural resources.
