Ain Yaacoub is part of the Joume village cluster in North Lebanon, which is home to around 70,000 Lebanese residents and 13,000 refugees.

The North Lebanon Water Establishment (NLWE) established a pumping station in Ain Yaacoub to serve water household needs across the Joume cluster of villages in Akkar.

As a result of the economic crisis in 2019, the state-electricity provision declined to four hours of power per day, forcing the NLWE to rely on an outdated 1,000 kVA backup generator to sustain water pumping operations. The generator consumed a significant amount of fuel, limiting the NLWE’s ability to maintain operations amid escalating fuel prices. This has led to a significant reduction in water supply, fueling communal tensions over water shortage.

In response, the USAID-funded Community Support Program (CSP) provided a more efficient 450 kVA backup generator, thus limiting fuel consumption and enabling longer hours of water provision. To ensure the sustainability of this intervention, CSP trained NLWE workers on the safe operation and maintenance of the generator. As of April 2024, this intervention has ensured water provision to 83,000 people, while significantly reducing fuel consumption. As of June 2024, the generator has been operating for 10 hours daily, saving the NLWE over $350 in daily operational expenses.

“By reducing energy costs, we are able to ensure the financial sustainability of this generator, enabling continuous water supply across the Joume cluster”, said Gaby Nasr, Technical Director at NLWE.