Because of water supply not meeting rising water demands in Damascus, water is currently being rationed to 13 hours a day. Over the past 20 years the level of ground water in the Barada basin, on which Damascus sits, has dropped from 50 metres to 200 metres underground. Billions of dollars of investment are required over the next decade if Damascus, Syria’s rapidly growing capital, is to avert a critical water crisis.

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the development agency of the Japanese Government, has taken a lead role in tackling Syria’s growing water shortages. Mufak Khalouf, head of the Damascus Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DELTA), said that the Syrian government was pressing ahead with a feasibility study for a project (projected cost of around US$ 2 billion = EUR 1.6 billion) with a Swiss company to pipe water from the Euphrates River - which flows from Turkey through Syria to Iraq – to Damascus. The study is due to be finished before the end of the first quarter of next year.

Source: IRIN, 11 Oct 2006

Tags: water resources management