Luxor’s drinking water station reopened on Sunday after being cut in some areas due to a diesel spill in the Nile on Saturday, head of Luxor Central Department of Environmental Crises and Disasters, Kawthar Hanafy said.
Diesel spills are less harmful than other heavy oil spills that are difficult to disintegrate, Hanafy explained.
Authorities have launched an investigation to identify the source of the spill, which is most probably from a boat owner, according to Hanafy.
Hanafy stressed that the spill did not cause the death of any fish.
Water cuts occurred on Saturday for over seven hours in several areas of Luxor due to the leakage of petrol near the drinking water station in the city.
The drinking water company said in a statement that the main drinking water station in the city had been shut down since Saturday morning due to the appearance of more than one oil spill in the area.
Governor of Luxor Mohamed Badr ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and suspended the employees responsible for the problem from work until the investigations conclude.
Badr ordered for legal measures to be taken against the hotels and boats on the Nile violating environmental safety requirements.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
