The Egyptian government intends to implement the current fiscal years plan to regulate the use of places of worship, to save around EGP100 million annually. Minister of Local Development General Mahmoud Shaarawy said the ministry plans on installing 40,000 prepaid counters at the mosques and churches. The move saves approximately EGP100 million worth of energy consumed in lighting mosques and churches. According to the minister, a total of 25,000 counters have been installed so far, helping save EGP60 million during the current fiscal year. Shaarawy further added that up to 68,999 water-saving devices were set up at 35,000 mosques and 7,000 churches. This step is in light of the signed protocol between the ministry and the Holding Company for Water and Waste Water (HCWW) to set up drinking water coded counters. The minister called on the executive bodies in the provinces to appoint an individual tasked with the regular maintenance of the water-saving devices in addition to another person to be in charge of expanding the installation process. He explained that these devices reduce water consumption by 50 percent.