Daraa – Mahjoub al-Hashish
The General Establishment for Drinking Water in Daraa governorate, southern Syria, has overseen the drilling of wells within the water catchment area of Oyoun al-Sakhina in the town of Tel Shihab in western Daraa. They are awaiting subsequent steps to connect the wells to the drinking water network and direct it to the main reservoirs by the end of June.
Residents of Tel Shihab have expressed doubts about the institution’s ability to deliver water throughout the town due to issues related to violations on the main line and damage to the main network inside the town.
Oyoun al-Sakhina is the main source of drinking water in Tel Shihab, which has experienced drought for two years following a relative drop in water levels due to an increase in the number of random wells in the surrounding area.
Collaboration between the Water Establishment and residents
The Drinking Water Establishment, through a geological expert, explored the existence of groundwater around Oyoun al-Sakhina after several requests by the local council and dignitaries of the town to address the drinking water problem.
The institution stipulated that the well be drilled at the expense of the local community, while it would cover the well’s casing with iron, the pump, and the electrical panel, and connect it to the network.
After the success of the first well, the establishment began drilling a second well in the same area.
The mayor of Tel Shihab, Ali al-Hashish, told Enab Baladi that the Drinking Water Establishment in Daraa responded to demands from the local council to drill two wells to find solutions for drinking water in the town.
He added that the first well was tested and showed “good” yield, while the establishment intends to drill another well in the water catchment area of Oyoun al-Sakhina.
Al-Hashish anticipated that the wells would cover 50% of the town’s drinking water needs, provided the wells maintain their output.
He added that the local council plans to approach the electricity department to request an exemption from power rationing for Oyoun al-Sakhina pumps to secure as many operating hours as possible, in addition to connecting these wells to the network and directing them to the main reservoirs while activating the sterilization device linked to the network.
Ahmad al-Hashish, a civil activist in Tel Shihab, took it upon himself to follow up on the drilling of the wells, ensuring drilling machinery and overseeing the casing until operation. He said to Enab Baladi that the idea came after multiple requests from residents to solve the water issue.
He added that after the general establishment committed to casing the wells, which represents the largest cost, one of the equipment owners donated to drill the wells in Oyoun al-Sakhina at his own expense.
The activist also mentioned that the experimental capacity of one of the wells reaches 70 cubic meters per hour, and it is expected to secure 140 cubic meters per hour if the second well is successful.
He noted that the town’s vast area and population density require a minimum of four wells, while the population of Tel Shihab is around 13,000, according to the mayor.
Fears of water not reaching
Several residents of Tel Shihab expressed skepticism about the ability to deliver water to the main reservoirs due to the long main line feeding the reservoirs, which suffers from many violations.
Mansour Masakib, a resident of the town, told Enab Baladi that it is difficult to control the violations on the main line, as the local community has tried dozens of times in the past and failed to manage them, with some using it for irrigation.
Masakib believes that it would be better to drill multiple wells in different neighborhoods, with each well aimed at supplying its specific neighborhood, even if at lower yields.
The mayor stated that the general establishment and international organizations had drilled several wells in different areas, but most have failed to yield a sufficient amount of water, and drilling in Oyoun al-Sakhina makes it easier for the General Establishment for Drinking Water to supply the wells with electricity.
Meanwhile, Ratib al-Rifai, a member of the local committee in Tel Shihab who has worked over the past years to oversee public services in the town, including drinking water, believed that the best solution is to connect the water and restrict it to the main reservoirs to ensure fair distribution and then manage violations on the main line. He also suggested raising community awareness through dignitaries to avoid water waste and prevent exploiting water by puncturing the lines except through network employees.
Al-Rifai added that drilling wells does not eliminate the ongoing drinking water problem that has persisted for years but alleviates the suffering of residents who have to buy water from mobile water trucks, estimating a family’s weekly drinking water needs at 100,000 Syrian pounds.
Enhancing water supply: Drilling new wells in Oyoun al-Sakhina to address shortages in Tel Shihab Enab Baladi.
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