Water and the environment

Syria is facing major challenges in terms of supplying its population with safe drinking water and sufficient, good-quality water for agricultural use. Over 90 percent of the available water resources are used for agriculture, which provides a livelihood for around a quarter of the population. The discharge of untreated sewage into existing water bodies is endangering agricultural production and the drinking water supply. The over-use of water resources has already caused groundwater levels to drop dramatically. In some parts of the country over-use is so severe that it is endangering traditional agriculture.

The aim of Technical Cooperation with the Syrian partners is to introduce an integrated approach to water resource management (including a suitable price and subsidy mechanism) in order to bring about a sustainable improvement in the supply of drinking water and water resources for agricultural use. GTZ supports its Syrian partners by developing investment projects for sewage treatment and drinking water supply, as well as by developing strategic approaches for the investment projects and the organisational structure of the sector. The measures are rounded off by a training programme for Syrian experts.

In the context of water sector reform, areas of activity were identified in the course of a sectoral dialogue and a joint assessment of the water sector. One activity area will in future concentrate on improving the information management system used for preparing the necessary hydrological data and on consolidating the fragmented responsibilities among Syria’s ministries and downstream authorities.

In order to promote Syria's water sector more effectively, the projects will be merged to form a programme. It is planned to set up and provide flanking support for a professional network to facilitate the transfer of knowledge between Syrian experts working in this field. A project to strengthen the management capabilities of two local utilities is scheduled for 2005. In addition, a cooperation project with the private sector to set up a wetlands sewage treatment facility is under preparation (public-private partnership, or PPP). It is intended to support the development of an environment industry in Syria.

The following projects are being currently implemented:

• Advice to the Ministry of Housing and Construction
• Advice to the Ministry of Irrigation (under preparation)
• Advice to drinking water utilities in Aleppo and Damascus (under preparation)