|
Wise water use
Today water is Lebanon is relatively plentiful. However, mismanagement of this vital resource causes 50 percent of the country’s water to be lost. If this trend is not fixed, Lebanon will face severe shortages within the next 25 years. Thus, USAID focuses on water management. This includes training employees, introducing computerized monitoring and information systems, and installing consumer meters. With more efficient operations, Lebanon’s water institutions should be able to raise revenues and attract private investors.
Wastewater treatment plants
Lack of proper sewage disposal endangers Lebanese health and the environment. Nine new wastewater treatment plants will bring clean water to 27,000 people in the Chouf and Beqaa valley. USAID undertook the work in partnership with the Lebanese government and municipalities. The municipalities provide the land and maintenance. USAID provides the equipment and training. Protecting the environment also encourages rural tourism, bringing jobs and money to the region.
Oil spill clean-up
In consultation with the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, USAID cleaned oil from over 68 miles of shoreline from Byblos to Enfeh. The first priority for the oil spill cleanup were areas of high economic importance, including commercial harbors, public beaches, and several historic sites. This included Byblos Port, a world heritage site, and 100 fishing boats. USAID purchased heavy equipment and other services from local firms and employed more than 200 Lebanese workers to complete the first phase of the project.
Phase two will begin in August 2007. A local firm, hired by USAID, will finish polishing the rocky shore with pressure washers, remove submerged tar from coastal waters and safely dispose of contaminated waste.
|
