The Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Essam El-Gazzar states that the councils of new cities launched measures to prepare for the coming winter season, Invest-Gate reports.

The measures included: Disinfection of sewage networks and the rainwater drainage system, forming emergency teams for weather fluctuations, procurement of required equipment, and checking the efficiency of sewage treatment plants, according to a statement on October 2^nd.

El-Gazzar stresses that the head of each city council is responsible for monitoring handling of heavy rains and weather fluctuations, as well as provision of necessary mechanisms for relevant tasks. The councils of the cities of El Shorouk, the 10^th of Ramadan, Sheikh Zayed, and October Gardens started a review of all those measures in preparation for the next winter season, the minister adds.

In this context, Engineer Abdullatif Bishara, head of the El Shorouk City Development Authority, inspected sewage suction trucks to assure they were in the required technical state and ready to handle emergencies.

Ahmed Mostafa Mohamed, Head of the City Council of Sheikh Zayed, and other officials and officers of operation and maintenance witnessed the lining up of equipment, cars, and staff of drinking water and wastewater departments before the East Sheikh Zayed Sewage Plant at El-Nozha Road to ascertain of their preparedness to deal with the gales of the next winter season.

In a similar vein, Ahmed Orman, Head of the 10th of Ramadan City Council, stresses the importance of the readiness of the departments of sewage, operation, and maintenance. He reiterated the significance of the disinfection of rainwater drains all over the city, and the preparedness of all equipment and suction trucks to handle all floods.

Mohamed Mostafa, Head of October Gardens City Council, gives directives for the initiation of the emergency plan for the winter season. He notes that sewage network maintenance teams have started disinfection of rainwater drains, in tandem with works at cesspools and regular maintenance.