Resident Coordinator's Opening Remarks at ARSAL Wastewater Treatment Strategic Event

Distinguished Governor Khodr, 

Your Excellencies Ministers Nasser Yassin and Walid Fayyad,  

Distinguished participants and colleagues,   

Good morning to all, 

It is an honor to join you today as we gather to address one of the most pressing issues facing the community of Arsal—the management of wastewater. 

This issue extends far beyond infrastructure; it directly impacts the health, dignity, and future of nearly 90,000 residents, both Lebanese citizens and Syrian refugees, who rely on us to find sustainable and lasting solutions.

Arsal currently lacks essential sewer networks and a wastewater treatment plant, forcing the community to rely on temporary and inadequate solutions. Transporting sludge to the nearest treatment plant in Iaat, 78 kilometers away, not only incurs significant additional costs—an estimated USD 1.1 million annually—but also poses a severe public health risk if these operations are disrupted.  

We are at a juncture where immediate action is urgently needed to prevent environmental hazards as we work towards medium and long-term solutions.

As we move forward, it is our hope that our discussions today will lead to a shortlist of viable options and an extension of the current grace period, informed by the timelines proposed by UNICEF. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect public health, ensure environmental sustainability, and meet the urgent needs of those affected.

The response to the Syrian crisis has faced significant funding challenges in recent years. Water trucking and desludging are far from ideal solutions in a protracted crisis. It is crucial that we find reliable, long-term solutions to these funding challenges, which pose health risks to both Lebanese and Syrian refugees, as well as environmental risks due to inadequate wastewater management. For this, we will continuously engage with donors to secure the necessary resources. 

We recommend that the government facilitate connections to water and sanitation networks wherever possible and prioritize on-site wastewater treatment and the provision of safe water. The United Nations stands ready to support the government in addressing these urgent wastewater management issues, through continued advocacy and resource mobilization.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In closing, I want to emphasize that the decisions we make today will have a lasting impact on the health, safety, and dignity of the people of Arsal. 

Let us work together to ensure that the solutions we choose and implement are sustainable, effective, and in the best interests of the entire community. 

Thank you.