In November 2018, the MENA news agency, in a report carried by Egypt Today, said the National Authority for Potable Water and Sewage had completed projects worth EGP 533 million in North Sinai. According to Alaa Ibrahim, head of the authority's executive office, these included two desalination plants in Arish costing EGP 175 million, four units desalinating well water in Sheikh Zuwaid for EGP 25 million and four more in El Hassana and Nakhl for EGP 45 million. Projects worth about EGP 4 billion were under construction.
The report showed Egypt relying on several smaller desalination plants in North Sinai, including units for saline well water, and planning further expansion through 2022.