Fact:

The real picture is far from this misconception and constitutes a problem that requires urgent attention. While Lebanon has an ample supply of water, the extent of malpractice and mismanagement is capable of running the country dry by 2020. Reliable data is very limited for the water sector, but it is estimated that the total availability of water is at 3922 cubic meters a year (Mahfouz 8). This is met with an average of 500 million cubic meters added naturally on a yearly basis (Byrns).

But the problems are not with availability as much as they are with distribution. First and foremost, a lot of the water, greater than 50% of it, is dumped into the Mediterranean Sea rather than put to use (Al Arabiya News). This is exaggerated by the shortcomings of infrastructure, a large part of which is outdated and dams and reservoirs are lacking. In Akkar for example, only 54% of households are connected to the public network (Al Arabiya News). Similarly, the city of Nabatieh in the south suffers from continuous shortages despite being close to resourceful Sidon, simply because of poor connections. Also, the Lebanese government has been very hesitant to exploit the Litani and Hasbani rivers in the south, for fear of spurring disputes with neighboring Israel.

To these problems, the answer has always been digging up private wells. Yet this solution is precisely why the problem is growing. Licenses for digging up these wells are very hard to attain and the country’s construction boom will increase the domestic water demand to 45% by 2030 (World Bank). With these difficulties, people have become familiarized with digging illegally and without licenses. In fact, today 50% of all digging is undocumented (Mahfouz 11). This prevents the government from forecasting any accurate information about reserves, and will be the eventual cause of their depletion.

The low costs of extraction have kept this practice persistent. In addition to the use of wells for domestic purposes, around 70% of water used for agriculture is obtained from illegal underground sources. All together, well digging accounts for 30% of all wasted water. This continuous use of water in amounts we are incapable of realizing, decreases the level of the water supplies underground and manipulates their pressure. This allows for the merging of seawater with fresh water; a water that causes erosion to pipes and is not suitable for personal use. So while our country’s potential for wastewater recycling remains far-fetched, and our management abilities limited, we should stay alert to the significant implications that we are bringing upon ourselves when adopting this alternative. 

References

“Lebanon to run out of water by 2015.” Al Arabiya News. 28 Feb 2011: n. page. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .

Byrns, Karah. “Beirut 2015: An unsustainable future.” Executive. 02 Apr 2011: n. page. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. .

“Republic of Lebanon Water Sector: Public Expenditure Review.” The World Bank. The World Bank, 17 May 2010. Web. 8 Mar 2012.

Mahfouz, Basil, “Lebanese Water Resources: A Potential to Alleviate Middle East Water Stress” (2010). ISP Collection. Paper 839.

http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/839.