Lebanon Water Project Needs Assessment for Communal Water Services with a Focus on Host Communities

The project aims to improve Lebanon's capacity in the management of water resources, enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the public water utilities, and address water challenges arising from the impact of the Syrian Refugee influx to Lebanon. The influx of Syrian refugees amplified pressures on already constrained water resources and associated infrastructure. Increased water withdrawals, illegal connections, and pollution from wastewater led to a reduction in water availability, and a reduction in water supply to host communities. The decline in basic services adversely impacted quality of life and escalated social tensions among local populations and refugees. Needs have surfaced for water supply and sanitation interventions/projects at the level of host communities. The objective of this assessment is to identify needs and subsequent interventions by LWP that would improve communal water services and alleviate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related pressures and tensions on most vulnerable host communities in the Beqaa and Northern Lebanon, the two geographical areas with the highest population of refugees and water stress. The aim of the report is to identify priority interventions to improve communal water services. The assessment relied on a comprehensive methodology, including an intensive literature review of existing assessments done by different projects, United Nations (UN) agencies, and civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as consultation meetings with stakeholders. The literature review aimed to identify existing needs and gaps in water services, while the consultation meetings provided an opportunity to validate the findings and gather additional information from stakeholders. The assessment identified several key findings, including the need for improved water supply infrastructure, enhanced water treatment and distribution systems, and increased access to sanitation facilities. The report also highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of water scarcity, including population growth, climate change, and inefficient water use. Based on the findings of the assessment, the report recommends several priority interventions to improve communal water services in the Beqaa and Northern Lebanon. These interventions include the construction of new water supply infrastructure, the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, and the implementation of water conservation measures. The report also recommends the establishment of a water management system to ensure the efficient use of water resources and the development of a water pricing policy to encourage water conservation. The LWP has prioritized interventions based on the vulnerability index of host communities as set by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in 2015. The focus communities have been selected among host communities classified as most vulnerable and second most vulnerable. In addition, the LWP has focused its assessment on the Beqaa and Northern Lebanon because both regions suffer from a combination of vulnerability as determined by the UNOCHA and high water stress levels as determined by the Ministry of Environment (MoE). The assessment identified several potential projects that could contribute to relieving WASH related pressures from Syrian refugees on host communities in the most vulnerable localities of the Beqaa and Northern Lebanon. These projects include the construction of new water supply infrastructure, the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, and the implementation of water conservation measures. The report also recommends the establishment of a water management system to ensure the efficient use of water resources and the development of a water pricing policy to encourage water conservation.