A vehicle stuck on a flooded road on the Karantina highway, at the northern entry to Beirut, Dec. 23, 2023. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT —The Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment has been forced to stop the operation of some pumping stations and adopt a new, temporary rationing program due to pollution provoked by heavy rains, the state-run National News Agency reported, citing a statement from the establishment.
"Heavy rain in recent days led to a significant increase in the turbidity rate in most of the springs that constitute the main sources for the pumping stations, which forced the corporation to stop the operation of the … stations and adopt a new and temporary rationing program, until the turbidity rate in the springs decreases and the corporation’s … teams complete the refining work in the pumps, after which water will be immediately, and as quickly as possible, redistributed according to the usual program," the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment said in its statement.
The following pumping stations and springs are affected, according to the establishment:
- The main refining station in Jbeil, which provides services for coastal areas of the city.
- The main refining station in Nahr Ibrahim, which provides services for Nahr Ibrahim and Halat.
- The springs of Jeita, al-Qashqoush and Fawar Antelias, which will affect water distribution in parts of Metn, Achrafieh and areas of southern Beirut.
- The spring of Ain al-Dalbeh which provides services for Hadath, Hazmieh, Fiyadieh, Louaize, Baabda and Jamhour.
Finally, the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment affirmed, in some more positive news, that "the heavy rainy season will compensate for the [water] scarcity of previous years."