Rehabilitating sewer networks in Rural Damascus
UNICEF keeps the sewage systems in Syria from deteriorating past the point of no return
Rural Damascus, Syria - “I used to wear nylon bags to cover my shoes when I walked to school. Dirty water used to flood in winter and the road to my school was extremely muddy,” said Oday, 13, at the Sbeineh compound in Rural Damascus, Syria.
Thousands of people, living in Sbeineh compound for internally displaced, located 15 kilometers south of Damascus in southern Syria, were forced to flee when violence increased in 2013.
In 2018, about 50,000 people returned to their homes to rebuild their lives. Despite the respite in violence, the impact of the conflict is still felt. The damaged sewage infrastructure remains a big challenge for the families in re-establishing their lives.
The dysfunctional infrastructure induces blocks in sanitation systems. The frequent flooding similarly increases the risk of contaminating the groundwater, the main source of drinking water for people in the compound.
The overflowing sewage waters disrupts families’ lives in the compound. Wintertime in particular is a nightmare for families and children.
“Last winter, the dirty water flooded in our neighborhood,” said Amina. The 80-year-old lives with her son in the compound. “My son can barely provide for his family,” she added, talking about the heavy burden the family paid fixing the damage.
To protect children and families from contaminated water and waterborne diseases, UNICEF, through its partners, is rehabilitating the damaged parts of the sewage network. The project includes replacing around four kilometers of the sewage network underground. This intervention will help to provide 40,000 people with access to safe wastewater systems and sanitation.
“Last winter, I had to stay home and help my mother to clean the house from dirty water,” said 10-year-old Said Yasser, one of the residents at the compound. “My mom told me that next winter, I’ll be able to go to school and play with my friends in the neighborhood. I am really excited about it,” she added.
“We cannot afford the maintenance anymore. I feel relieved this is over now,” chimed in Amina happily.
“This project will be implemented in five streets of the compound. The old network has been torn down. It had huge blockages, causing frequent floods, especially during winter. This increased the risk of spreading diseases among people in the area as well as environmental pollution,” said Omar, the executive engineer of the project.
Across Syria, at least 70 per cent of the discharged sewage is untreated. However, an average of 3.8 million people per year have benefitted as UNICEF rehabilitated wells, pumping stations, water distribution networks and sewage lines across the country.
