Damascus residents face growing water shortages

Residents queue for water in Damascus
Residents queue for water in Damascus

By Norman al-Abbas

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Residents of Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus and the town of Sahnaya in Rif Dimashq have been facing severe water shortages for several months, as extended outages and limited supply exacerbate daily challenges. The situation has been further complicated by electricity rationing, which directly affects the operation of water pumps.

Taysir al-Ahmad, a resident of Sahnya, told North Press that “the water crisis has remained without any tangible solutions for more than eight months,” describing the conditions as “very bad.” He added that “the price of water delivered by tankers has risen sharply, reaching 8,000 Syrian pounds per barrel at times, despite the official rate set by the local authorities not exceeding 6,000 pounds.”

Al-Ahmad explained that the current average price is around 7,000 pounds per barrel, meaning a tanker carrying 20 barrels costs approximately 140,000 pounds, with household monthly expenses for water ranging between 200,000 and 300,000 pounds. He noted that authorities have promised to restart the strategic water reservoir supplying Sahnya al-Ashrafiya, with an announcement indicating it may be operational within 20 days.

In Damascus, Souhail Ahmad, a resident of Mezzeh, said that “water only reaches homes through pumps and with very low pressure.” He added that “water comes one day and is absent for two days; the situation is very poor, forcing residents to purchase water at monthly costs between 250,000 and 400,000 pounds.”

Ahmad Mohanna, another Mezzeh resident, highlighted difficulties in accessing water on higher floors, stating that residents of the second, third, and fourth floors often must rely on purchased water, with tanker costs around 150,000 pounds. He added that the Mezzeh reservoir experiences more frequent interruptions than other areas due to its elevation.

Mohanna also noted that many residents are renters, resulting in monthly water costs reaching up to 450,000 pounds, as repeated tanker purchases are often necessary.