Khirbet Rouha, a town near the Lebanese-Syrian border in the Beqaa Valley, is home to 5,000 Lebanese residents and 4,000 Syrian refugees. The expanded population has strained the municipality’s abilities to provide adequate public services, which was further exacerbated by the nationwide economic crisis. With state electricity provision down to 2 hours per day, Khirbet Rouha’s municipality can no longer cover increased fuel costs to operate the back-up generator powering the village’s water pumping station. This has fueled communal tensions over shortage of water supply and inadequate service provision. In response, USAID’s Community Support Program (CSP), is installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) farm – on land contributed by the municipality – to ensure continuous power to Khirbet Rouha’s water pumping station and consistent domestic water supply to its residents. Additionally, CSP is rehabilitating the station by constructing new operation and chlorination rooms, as well as by upgrading its electro-mechanical, lighting, and monitoring systems.

On August 8, CSP kicked off the project with excavation site works. This intervention is expected to be completed by December 2023, and will ensure continuous and safe supply of domestic water to 9,000 residents through renewable energy.

“This intervention will not only allow local authorities to provide essential services to community members amidst a severe shortage of electricity, but will also reduce tensions between residents who have been deprived of water access for years”, stated Nabil Massri, Qaemaqam of Rachaiya, during a site visit on August 10, 2023.