A photo of the red water of Lake Janaa, in Shebaa, its color due to the high concentration of pollutants, which has raised suspicions of either intentional pollution or pollution caused by phosphorus. The pollutant levels are actually worsened by the drought, according to tests by the Ministry of Agriculture. (Credit: Shebaa municipality.)
BEIRUT — A few weeks ago, pollution concerns arose at Janaa Lake in South Lebanon’s Shebaa area after red water and dead fish were found. People suspect the pollution came either from chemicals dumped into the lake — used by local farmers — or from Israeli phosphorus munitions during the 2023-2024 conflict with Hezbollah.
Contacted by L’Orient Today, the new president of Shebaa’s municipal council, Adam Farhat, explained that the pollution was actually not due to the fighting, but to bacteriological and chemical pollution worsened by this year’s severe drought. He specified that tests conducted by institutions affiliated with the Agriculture Ministry "showed potassium levels far above accepted limits, rendering the water unusable for both farmers and livestock breeders."
He explained: "The water level in the artificial lake is low this season because this reservoir is filled exclusively by rainwater and not by springs in the area." The tests, a copy of which was provided by the municipality, show "levels higher than the accepted standards for total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms," in other words, bacteriological pollution.
Lebanon’s rainy season was especially dry, affecting both farmers an household water supplies. According to figures from Meteo-Lebanon, only 382.1 millimeters of rain fell in Beirut this year, compared to 1,051 last year, and a thirty-year average of 822 mm. It’s the same in North Lebanon, with 520 mm compared to 1,229 in 2024, and in the Bekaa, with 268 mm versus 741 last season. Water levels are therefore very low, both in artificial lakes and in surface streams, springs, aquifers, and wells.
"The fact that the water level is so low hasn't helped dissolve the pollution, leaving it highly concentrated in Janaa lake's water," continued the president of the municipal council. According to him, solutions exist, as specialized companies can address this kind of contamination. "We're seeking to treat this lake's water because it is crucial for farmers and livestock breeders during such a dry year, and because it will help reduce pollution in anticipation of the next rainy season," he added.
However, the officials are facing a funding problem. "Authorities organized municipal elections [in May 202] but they're still not releasing municipal budgets. We don't know how to raise funds for essential work like this, as we can barely cover our operating costs," Farhat said indignantly.
In Lebanon, the municipal fund is supposed to finance local authorities and enable them to contribute to regional development, but disbursement of these funds by the Finance Ministry is often delayed, and a substantial share is dedicated to paying contractors with state contracts, particularly in the area of household waste. Only a fraction of the budget actually reaches the municipal councils, which have been complaining for years about a lack of funds.
Meanwhile, this lake in Shebaa remains unusable and unused following a warning, issued in June from the Agriculture Ministry.
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