Mazraat et Teffah, in Zgharta, North Lebanon, is home to 1940 Lebanese residents and 60 refugees who rely on a single well operated by the municipality for water provision. The nationwide economic crisis and severe state electricity shortages have significantly limited the municipality’s ability to purchase enough fuel to operate the well’s water pump. To meet their water needs, residents were forced to purchase unaffordable trucked water for $50/month, leading to increasing communal tensions over water supply.

In response, USAID’s Community Support Program (CSP) enhanced water provision in Mazraat et Teffah by installing a solar farm  on land provided by the municipality to power the well and rehabilitated the water system’s chlorination and operation room. In parallel, to ensure the sustainability of this intervention, CSP is building the capacities of municipal members on the operations and maintenance of the new water system and solar panels. The solar farm became operational in December 2023 and is providing water daily to Mazraat El Teffah households. This intervention  will reduce municipal generator maintenance and diesel costs by 80%, will result in up to  $25,000 in monthly municipal savings, and will eliminate water trucking costs for 2000 residents.

“This is a dream come true for all our residents who have been struggling with water shortages for decades. USAID’s vital contribution for providing us with a reliable water supply is highly recognized and appreciated by the whole village”, said Simon Gerges, Mayor of Mazraat et Teffah