Transformational Change in Lebanon’s Water Monitoring and Waste Management

In order to improve water resource management and clean water service, Chemonics introduced a number of tech-enabled solutions, including:

• Multi-spectral and radar satellite imagery detect changes in water bodies, aquifer levels, and watershed health.
• Geospatial data platforms aggregate satellite inputs with local sensor data, enabling dynamic visualization and analysis.
• AI-driven anomaly detection flags irregularities in water quality, flow rates, and usage patterns.

The introduction of these tools enabled improved environmental management across multiple areas:

• Water resource management: These tools enabled the government to track water availability and consumption trends across municipalities, which in turn informed infrastructure planning, such as the placement of elevated water tanks in areas like Bqasta and Jinjlaya. The data also informed emergency response, including wildfire-related water network repairs in Mount Lebanon, and enabled predictive maintenance by identifying stress points in water delivery systems – before failures occur.
• Waste management. Chemonics supported integrated solid waste management systems to address urban waste challenges and promote environmental sustainability. Specifically, Chemonics deployed satellite-based water monitoring tools using remote sensing technologies and geospatial analytics to assess hydrological conditions. These systems were integrated with local data platforms to enhance accessibility and utility for stakeholders. In Lebanon, the waste management initiative included digital mapping of waste flows, community-based recycling programs, and infrastructure upgrades for waste collection and processing.
• Infrastructure planning: Chemonics meticulously identified and selected six medium-to-large-scale infrastructure interventions that will mitigate 42,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day, benefiting some 390,000 underserved residents. We also supported regional water authorities in assessing potential wastewater projects’ design and feasibility and training institutions on resource mobilization.
• Disaster preparedness. In El Qaa, a village home to 13,000 permanent and seasonal Lebanese residents and 25,000 registered Syrian refugees, recurrent flooding often damages the village’s ill-equipped public infrastructure and informal tented settlements. This exacerbated tensions between Lebanese residents and Syrian refugees. Chemonics provided the village with suction pumps to remove floodwater from narrow streets and informal tented settlements, enabling the municipality to prevent flood damage to 2,150 properties. We also delivered a two-part training for municipal employees on how to operate and maintain the pumps safely. Ensuring that the removal of floodwater remains sustainable is critical to avoiding future flooding for the entire community.