Lebanon: Specialists warn of potential water shortage

Water specialists have warned that Lebanon will face a severe water shortage over the coming years unless an effective water management system is soon put in place. "Some say that there could be a serious deficit by 2010 to 2015" or even sooner, said Fadi Comair, director-general of hydro-electrical equipment in Lebanon's Energy and Water Ministry. In a country where experts say water management is chronically poor, a shortage would not only mean that residents would have problems meeting their daily water needs, but also that the quality of the water would be adversely affected. For many years, households across Lebanon, in urban and rural areas, receive water from public water authorities a maximum of three times a week, for about eight to 12 hours a time. The rest of the time, groundwater is usually pumped into urban buildings, including hospitals and schools, using individually fitted pumps. This water is then stored in tanks.