ABSTRACT
Water and the air humans breathe are the two most fundamental needs of mankind. This chapter addresses itself primarily to urban water supply issues, particularly as they affect the urban poor. The provision of water for new and expanding urban areas has generally led to the construction and operation of centralised extraction, treatment and distribution systems. In many cities in developing countries water supply systems were originally installed to serve only those parts of the city thought to have the greatest need for safe and reliable water; frequently this was the commercial centre and higher income housing areas. Water in Cairo is provided by General Organisation for Greater Cairo Water Supply (GOGCWS) which covers most of Greater Cairo with a population of over 9 million in 1980. Water tariffs govern the financial performance of the water utility and dictate the rate at which reinvestment in, and hence improvement and expansion of, the system can proceed.
