The Government of Egypt faces increasing challenges in the effective management of water resources. Water for irrigation, a significant concern for agricultural self sufficiency, is rapidly approaching maximum utilization levels. The supply of additional water of quality suitable for use in cultivating more land is extremely limited. Yet Egypt's population is growing at a rate that requires conversion of additional land for agricultural use in the near future. The reasons for the limited water resources relate to the overuse of water in irrigating crops with high water requirements, industrial and sanitary waste contamination of , water that could be used for agriculture, and the wasteful use of water by municipalities and industries. In any case, the net result is an unnecessary degradation of water quality--a problem that must be addressed. The National Seminar on Egypt Water Quality Assessment and Management Plan was organized to present the current state of knowledge about water quality and water quality management in Egypt and to discuss key water quality management issues. This seminar report is a useful mechanism for sharing information on these issues and providing contact points for further information.