Weak Water Governance in Lebanon Lead to Water Crisis
Lebanon is one of the Meditareean countries that are fulfilled with its natural resources and specifically water. However, due to unsustainable water resource management and lack of proper government management, Lebanon is under a water crisis.
According to the Lebanese Crisis Response Plan (LCRP), Lebanon strived to bring out water quality systems and requested $390 million in 2016, but the country received only $90, which is considered a very low sectoral funding compared to other years. This is also because of the influx of Syrian refugees, where water demand pressure has increased.
On the other hand, Lebanon’s groundwater has got affected. In a report to the International Institute for Environment and Development (iied), agriculture and industry fields have a high water consumption and at the same time, uses harmful applications that make the groundwater fragile. For example, fertilizers or the waste leak of health institutions help in polluting water sources. The volume of waste has increased due to the increase of the country’s population.
Besides, the Ministry of Energy and Water has worked on “The National Water Sector Strategy” in collaboration with UNICEF in 2010, to help better reforming the water infrastructure and highlight a strategic roadmap planning for it. By the end of 2019, the final strategy has accomplished but the launching didn’t happen because of the country’s situation and government resignation.
Also, according to UNHCR, the sector needs water quality and waste management. Water wells are considered the main supply, however, it lacks proper planning and monitoring while installation.
In the “Assessment of Groundwater Resources of Lebanon” report, it shows that although the average rainfall is considered a plentiful renewable water source due to weak water resource management and unsustainability practices have burdened the water services.
In addition, a UNICEF report states that wastewater management and improper water emerge diseases, yet, there are no laboratories that can test if there are viruses in water. The Litani River basin water resources, for instance, are extremely polluted.
Overall, Lebanon continues to suffer in the absence of governmental leadership that can take advantage of the country’s natural resources by implementing sustainable strategies to ensure water safety, improve irrigation, and reduce wasting water.
