Around 70% of Lebanon’s population could be left without access to water amid the economic crisis. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a report
“More than 4 million people, including 1 million refugees, are at immediate risk of losing access to safe water in Lebanon. UNICEF estimates that due to the growing economic crisis, lack of funding, shortages of fuel, supplies of spare parts, chlorine, most water pumping stations across the country will gradually fail within 4-6 weeks”, – the document said.
According to the foundation’s representative in Lebanon, Yuki Mokuo, with water supply problems, water prices could increase by 200%, jeopardising the water supply for poor households.
According to UNICEF, more than 70% of Lebanon’s residents are classified as “extremely critical” or “critical” vulnerable groups: nearly 1.7 million people have access to 35 litres of water a day, 80% less than the pre-2020 average (165 litres a day).