Director of the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment Jean Gebran announced that water will be restored to citizens from Tuesday evening onward provided there are no interruptions in electricity supply during the day.
After several days of water shortages in certain districts of Beirut and the Metn region, a temporary solution has been found. The affected pumping stations have been connected to the Bsalim power station, thus enabling a gradual redistribution of water.
However, Gebran warned in an interview with Voice of Lebanon that “the delivery of water will not be easy because the pumps need to run for 12 hours straight.”
“If there are no power disruptions during the day, households should be obtaining water supply on Tuesday evening,” he added.
He recalled that the main stations like the one in Dbayeh are unable to operate on solar energy and that the Water Establishment of Beirut and Mount Lebanon is irresponsible for the shortage. He held Electricité du Liban (EDL) responsible for the shortage following the fire that broke out in the Zouk power plant, which provides electricity to pump water for Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
Gebran called on citizens to rationalize water consumption in light of the costly maintenance of infrastructure.
He also underlined that the water from public establishments is safe as it undergoes quality control while that from illegal wells is contaminated, hence the need to shut down such wells.
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