Syria, Salamieh: UNICEF and the Embassy of Denmark launch refurbished water plant in drought affected district

Syria is experiencing a severe drought that is jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of families. After a second straight year of poor rainfall, this country in the heart of the fertile crescent is, in places, becoming barren.

The supply of potable water is also dwindling, particularly in regions that rely on well water.

In response, the UN has issued a drought appeal for about $53 million to address the urgency of the situation.

New water plant in Salamieh

In Salamieh, in the central governorate of Hama, residents once depended on water from the Al Assi River processed through the 1960s-era Al Qantara Hydrostation. They now depend on local wells. As a result of the drought and climate change, well water is now only available at depths of 600 meters. Water from these wells, however, contains contaminants that make it unsafe for drinking.

To address the problem, Al Qantara Hydrostation has been refurbished with a reverse osmosis unit. The project is the result of a collaboration between the Ministry of Housing, the Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and the Hama Governorate–with additional funding from UNICEF, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Embassy of Denmark.

Benefits for all

Joining the ambassador at the launch, and for a tour of the plant, was the Syrian Minister of Housing, Omar Ghalawanji; the Governor of Hama, Abdul Razak Al Qutaini; the Head of the Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation of Syria, Mohammad Al Shahoud; and UNICEF Representative in Syria Sherazade Boualia.

After the ceremony the delegation visited the local Ismail Salibi School, where there had been no water supply at all until the plant became operational.

“Now that the plant is almost fully working, water is available for the drinking and also for the cleaning and use in the toilets, which basically reduces the stress that the students and the teachers had when there was a lack of water,” said Ms. Boualia.

Approximately 120,000 residents will benefit from the new plant.

Watch a UN video on the opening of the plant.

Source: UNICEF, 02 Dec 2009

Turkey says more water for Iraq, Syria is unlikely

A water rights battle over the historic Tigris and Euphrates rivers simmered on [03 September 2009] as Iraq and Syria appealed for increased water flows to cope with severe drought but Turkey said it was already too overstretched.

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said Turkey’s southeast region was also suffering from low rainfall and drought but the country was still releasing more water than it was legally obligated to its neighbors out of humanitarian concerns.

He said Turkey was releasing on average 517 cubic meters per second instead of the required 500 cubic meters per second, sacrificing its own energy needs in the process.

Turkey is advocating using water more efficiently and sustainably through joint projects instead of increasing water flows.

The meeting was called to discuss setting up joint stations to measure water volume at the rivers, as well as exchanging more information about climate and drought and creating joint education programs for more sustainable water management.

Drought-stricken Iraq has accused its upstream neighbors Turkey and Syria of taking too much from the rivers and their tributaries. The rivers’ low water flows are caused in part by the construction of dams in Turkey and Syria.

Turkey’s Environment Minister Veysel Eroglu said in opening remarks that Turkey was sacrificing energy production to release water from dams and alleviate water shortages downstream.

Nader al-Bunni, Syria’s irrigation minister, said his country was also letting more water flow into Iraq than required by agreements.

“We understand Iraq’s need for more water and we are letting 69 percent of the waters in the Euphrates for the bretheren people of Iraq. We have increased the amount from 58 percent to 69 percent,” he said.

Source: Todays Zaman, 03 Sep 2009

Palestine, West Bank: residents face severe water shortage as drought continues

West Bank Palestinians are suffering a serious water shortage this year as a severe drought has exacerbated already existing supply problems, the head of the Palestinian Water Authority.

Shadad Ateli said since mid-May [2008], many Palestinians have been going without water for hours, and sometimes days at a time, because of a reduced supply as a regional drought enters its fifth year. He called on Israel, which controls some 90 percent of water sources in the West Bank to rethink its water policies. “Water shouldn’t be a part of the conflict. It should be divided according to human needs equally,” Ateli said.

Uri Shani, spokesman for Israel’s Water Authority, says Palestinians are receiving more water than their agreed share under an interim peace deal. The drought has affected Israel as well, with fresh water supplies below their acceptable minimum, but there have been no cases of community water supplies being cut off.

[...]

Current peace talks between the two sides have not touched on water sharing yet, said Ateli, who is representing the Palestinians in negotiations on water with Israel.

West Bank residents use around 15 gallons of water a day, two-thirds of what the World Health Organization recommends for urban needs. In northern villages that number drops to 7 gallons a day. Daily water consumption in Israeli cities is 60 gallons per capita, [Israeli human rights group] B’Tselem reported.

Shani said the Palestinian Authority was not cracking down on herders who steal water supplies – a problem Palestinians acknowledge – and could recycle waste water for agriculture, as Israel does. He said that could boost supplies from 30 to 40 million cubic liters. The only solution to this problem is creating more water, Shani said.

Source: AFP / Haaretz.com, 27 Jul 2008