For Nadim Farajalla, Director of the Climate Change and the Environment Program at the Issam Fares Institute, the American University of Beirut, the root cause of the main problem is the non-application of approved policies, rather than the policies themselves. Farajalla explains, “Untreated sewage is the main cause of water pollution in Lebanon.” However, sewage treatment plants have been built in Lebanon without donors ensuring that the main beneficiaries, namely the water authorities, will be able to manage them once construction is completed. To date, a large number of these authorities have refused to operate some of these plants due to budgetary constraints preventing maintenance and the purchase of spare parts or heating oil for generators, on the one hand, and due to the lack of specialized personnel trained in such tasks on the other hand.”
Assistant professor and researcher Roland Riachi strongly criticizes projects that have incurred high costs without yielding any results. According to him, “The main sewage treatment plants, mainly the 60 plants spread along the coast, are either non-operational or have a markedly reduced workforce, and it can be said they are fictitious.” In this regard, the expert blames “the inefficiency and corruption of the Lebanese state bodies, and international funding that does not take into account the absence of results,” and recalls that USD 1 billion has been invested in treatment plants that are simply non-operational. He also refers to the National Water Sector Strategy (NWSS) that focuses mainly on building dams, without taking into consideration sewage treatment and its main role in protecting water resources.
Farajalla indicates that the design of sewage treatment plants lacks an energy vision, in the sense that the selected technologies do not take into consideration energy saving. Another major problem, he says, lies in the lack of control over highly toxic industrial discharges, which are “lethal to micro-organisms used in sewage treatment plants, thus hindering the treatment of municipal sewage (mainly from homes) that reaches the plant.”
Impacts at all levels
Pollution generated due to the absence of adequate policies is widespread and dangerous. Riachi notes that in mountainous areas, aquifers that need to be protected as sources of water supply for a large number of citizens, are often polluted by the septic tanks of tall buildings rarely connected to sewage networks. In coastal cities, buildings are often connected to networks, but the sewage that is collected is still discharged untreated into the sea. Riachi counts no less than 55 untreated sewage dumps on the coast, reaching a length of four kilometers.
Farajalla mentions dire consequences for the population. He says, “The worst impact is the spread of water-related diseases, such as typhoid, cholera, skin diseases, hepatitis and others.” Another impact is the significantly increased cost of bringing water to homes, which compels water boards to treat drinking water. This additional cost could have been saved if the sources had been less contaminated.”
From an environmental perspective, Farajalla indicates that “pollution affects marine life by killing fish, amphibians and vegetation and leads to the loss of biodiversity as well as sources of supply for fishermen.” He points to the main problem of groundwater pollution, “which lasts much longer than the problem of surface watercourses and necessitates costly treatment.”
Renewable energies at the sewage treatment plants
The problem of water pollution in Lebanon is worsening, but solutions can be achieved, whether they are administrative, technical or political. From a technical perspective, Nadim Farajalla calls for the need to connect sewage treatment plants to sewage networks properly, otherwise the disposal of untreated sewage will continue to pollute watercourses, water and the sea. He also emphasizes the need to save energy while ensuring sewage treatment in accordance with the standards. For him, “These plants must be equipped with renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic solar energy or anaerobic digestion of sludge from treatment plants (the solid part left after treatment). We can benefit from such methane releasing organic materials - a gas that can be used to power turbines - to produce the electricity needed to operate the plant.”
At the administrative level, the expert believes that if the water boards choose to sign contracts with contractors for the management of these plants, they should prioritize not only good technical performance, but also the commitment to save on treatment costs. This will force the contractors to ensure improved performance and reduce unnecessary energy losses.
At the environmental level, Riachi believes that the solution could lie in protecting the sources of springs, such as by connecting villages and clusters of mountainous villages to sewage networks and eliminating septic tanks. The expert also recalls the idea of benefiting from the geomorphology of Lebanon by utilizing the force of gravity of the springs in the highlands in order to supply the population with water, rather than relying on highly energy consuming and very costly water pumping by the water authorities.
Water pollution is a multi-dimensional problem that results from failed policies and corrupt practices. Noticeable change can only be brought about through a political will that makes this area a top priority.