Cairo: Egypt's Cabinet Media Centre has refuted social media rumours claiming that the artificial lakes of the Downtown Lagoon Project in New Alamein are being filled with Nile River water. Instead, the lakes are being filled exclusively with desalinated sea water.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the project, which includes 11 man-made lakes, is part of a broader initiative to enhance tourism and urban development along Egypt's North Coast. The goal is to establish the region as a global hub for tourism, residential living, and logistics.

The Cabinet's statement also revealed that the trial filling of the largest lake is currently underway to assess the effectiveness of the sealing system. This marks the first operational step for the interconnected lakes.

The development boasts islands, a recreational promenade, paths for pedestrians and cyclists, electric vehicle lanes, and an array of tourism, hospitality, and service facilities, all introduced for the first time in Egypt.

This clarification comes at a time of increased public attention on water resource management in Egypt, where the Nile remains a crucial and often contested resource.