However, the “water country” is experiencing a “thirst” crisis with the approach of summer, and the irony is that this crisis is not due to the lack of water, but rather to the inability to operate the water transmission network in an orderly manner with the absence of electricity and the frequent thefts that the pumping plants are exposed to.
This week, several areas in the capital Beirut and its suburbs suffered from a “drinking water” cut that lasted for several days, which prompted some to resort to the option of buying water from the owners of private underground wells, which has become a profitable business in Lebanon.
5 days without water
Nada, a resident of Beirut, said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that the water situation in the capital has become unbearable, noting that she suffered from “drinking water” in her home for 5 days this week, which prompted her and her neighbors in the building in which she lives to Purchasing a water tank for one million Lebanese pounds.
The crops are dry
And the problem of water rationing does not only include homes, but also commercial and tourist establishments, in addition to farmers who started raising their voices loudly with the emergence of the problem of thirst for crops.
Farmer Fadi from the Bekaa region said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”: The artesian wells that we use to irrigate our crops have stopped pumping due to the power outage, noting that if this problem persists, the drought will affect his crops, especially since Lebanon is coming to the summer season, which It is experiencing a high temperature.
Endurance with available capabilities
For his part, the Director General of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Corporation, Jean Gibran, said in an exclusive interview with “Sky News Arabia” that the corporation is steadfast with its available capabilities despite the harsh conditions it faces.
He pointed out that the electricity crisis casts a shadow over all sectors, as no sector can be operated without electricity, and therefore the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Corporation suffers from its inability to supply homes with water as a result of the power outage.
Gibran confirmed that the Corporation uses generators in the event of a power outage, but the scarcity of diesel fuel from the market prevents it from operating these generators, which is reflected in a severe water rationing in more than 65 percent of pumping stations.
Very harsh legalization
He pointed out that malfunctions that occur in pumping stations require the availability of “hard currency” that the corporation does not own, pointing out at the same time that the stations are exposed to systematic theft operations, which requires intensified monitoring by the security forces.
According to Gibran, the current situation requires “rationalizing” the use of water by citizens, calling on donors that had provided support in the previous period, to continue accompanying the Lebanese citizens in this difficult ordeal.
He stressed that in the event that the institution does not receive its transfers from the Banque du Liban and assistance from donors such as UNICEF and the World Bank, it will not be able to continue to work as required, which means that citizens are waiting for a very harsh water rationing during the summer.
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