Water pre-treatment plant inaugurated in Sidon

Expected to serve 56
villages in three cazas

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) has inaugurated a major wastewater project in Dikermen, Sidon. A primary treatment and collection plant, as well as sewage networks and a sea outfall were installed.

The total cost of the project stood at $41 million, of which $14 million for the treatment plant and the sea outfall, and $27 million for the installation of the networks. The project was funded through a soft loan from Japan ratified in 1997.

The plant helps limit coastal pollution and protect groundwater. The project serves 56 villages in the Sidon, Jezzine, and Nabatieh cazas, including 390,000 individuals. The pre-treatment plant has the capacity to handle 130 million liters of water per day, which will be enough for the 2030 horizon.

The executed networks are 170 kilometers long, consisting mainly of collectors and primary networks. Ten pumping stations were also constructed. The Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) supervised the project's implementation.

The South Lebanon Water Establishment (SLWE) and the German organization GIZ, its technical advisor since 2009, have awarded a private firm a tender for the operation and maintenance of the plant. The three-year contract for managing the plant is worth $2.4 million.

The future stages, according to the National Wastewater Strategy, include the completion of the networks. MoEW preliminary estimates indicate that another $105 million are required to complete all networks and house connections. The future plan also includes the expansion of the treatment plant.