Following a spill of 110 tons of diesel fuel in the Nile River, Egyptian Authorities have ordered the closure of five drinking water treatment plants located along the Nile in Luxor. The oil spill occurred after a Nile Company transportation barge sank on Saturday near the Nile Corniche in Aswan.
Aswan Governor Samir Farag announced the decision in a press statement.
"The oil spill passed by Luxor Sunday evening and reached Esna City at 6 AM Monday morning, which led to the disruption of water services for six hours," said Farag.
The governor went on to say that Esna's emergency services have sampled and analyzed Nile water over an area of 5km to each side of the five water plants to ensure the safety of the water and to shut down the plant if necessary.
Authorities said 80 percent of the spilled diesel fuel has evaporated and it is of a type that is not miscible with water.
