Action Group – Daraa
The water crisis in the southern neighborhood of Daraa Palestinian refugee camp remains a daily concern for residents, despite months of work to extend a new water pipeline to the area.
Over the past few months, the Daraa Water Establishment had dug a new water pipeline after years of interruption. The original network was severely damaged during the war, leading to deterioration and rusting. Contamination problems arose when water was pumped due to mixing with sewage, prompting repeated complaints from residents. A local initiative supported by philanthropists then launched to replace the damaged pipeline with a new one.Â
Despite these efforts, water has yet to reach residents’ homes. Residents attribute the problem to weak water pressure and the failure to connect the new pipeline to the main water supply. Local sources confirmed that the Water Establishment had promised to pump water for a full day to the neighborhood after completing maintenance work, but these promises have yet to be fulfilled.
The water crisis imposes additional financial burdens on camp residents. The price of one water tank is approximately 40,000 Syrian pounds, while each family needs a five-barrel tank approximately every three days. This constitutes a heavy burden in light of the difficult living conditions, high prices, and widespread unemployment.
Residents also face logistical difficulties due to the narrowness of the camp’s streets, which prevents the entry of water tankers and forces them to use long hoses that may exceed 50 meters to meet their needs.
Residents emphasize that the camp needs a comprehensive plan to maintain the infrastructure, especially the water and sewage networks, which were severely damaged during the years of war. They point out that any defect in one network directly impacts the other.
Residents demand that the Water Authority and relevant authorities, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), assume their responsibilities and expedite the resolution of the drinking water problem in the camp, especially in the southern neighborhood, which is still awaiting a permanent solution to alleviate its ongoing suffering.