SDG 6.5.2: Promote conscious water usage

IUL Activities  

The Islamic University of Lebanon – Baalbek branch organized a symposium on “The Water Crisis in the Bekaa“, in cooperation with the Bekaa Water Foundation and the Italian Civil Voluntary Work Association, in the presence of the pastor of the Baalbek Archdiocese of the Melkite Roman Catholics, Bishop Elias Rahal, Mufti Sheikh Abdo Qataya, President of the Union Municipalities of Baalbek Nasri Othman, Chairman and Director General of the Bekaa Water Corporation, Engineer Rizk Rizk, Member of the Presidency of the Amal Movement Brigadier General Abbas Nasrallah, Head of the Center for Urban Planning in Baalbek Eng. Jihad Haidar, Director of Water Projects in Lebanon at GVC Association Joanna von Gutenberg The mayor of Baalbek, Brigadier General Hussein Al-Lakis, represented by Captain Muhammad Taha, the head of the Municipal Affairs Office of the movement in the Bekaa Abbas Mortada, the assistant in charge of the municipal work of “Hezbollah” in the Bekaa, Hani Fakhreddin, and academic, educational and social actors. Dr. Zine El Abidine Haider delivered the speech of the Islamic University of Lebanon, and said: The National Center for the Quality of Medicine, Food, Water and Chemicals at the Lebanese University published the results of analyzing samples taken from water in a number of Bekaa areas, which showed that bacterial contamination affects surface and ground water and distribution networks, and therefore drinking water in the Bekaa areas is almost unsuitable for drinking. If this indicates anything, then it indicates that the citizen’s health has become in great danger, so what do we leave for our children and future generations with less water for drinking.  

”For his part, Engineer Rizk affirmed that“ many unfavorable conditions have led to a decrease in the available water quantities in the Bekaa, including Climate change, decreased precipitation, Syrian displacement, the development of life that led to an escalating increase in water consumption, pollution of surface and ground water sources, and random drilling of wells that drained the groundwater. No one thinks that the Bekaa Water Corporation, which started its work in 2002, is the only one responsible for water, but every citizen is responsible for water preservation and its quality. He pointed out that “the institution suffers from a shortage in its human resources, as the number of its employees is 190, in addition to The request is about 180 absent, and the shortage is about 500 people, according to the regulations that did not notice any sanitation user, and under the suspension of employment. We are facing a great challenge, and had it not been for the support of the Ministry of Energy and donors, the institution would have collapsed, and we would not have been able to provide water in the Bekaa. ”He declared that the corporation’s debts amount to 161 billion pounds, of which 89 billion are for the Electricity of Lebanon, 5 billion for Zahle’s electricity, 11 billion for the municipalities, and 11 billion One billion for the guarantee. ” He concluded: “We have plans for drinking water and wastewater, and studies and plans for irrigation water are being prepared, with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Water and donors.” 

IUL programs  

The university has adopted the teaching programs of the College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Surveying Engineering, by setting up special teaching requirements that have to do with water management, irrigation methods, and ways to complete the infrastructure. The university has worked to interact with the surrounding area to convince the parents and students to enroll and participate in the educational process. the following courses related to the water management implemented in the university are: 

  • Roads and other networks  
  • Sanitary 
  • Hydrology 
  • Hydraulics 
  • Geology 
  • Irrigation 
  •  

As an example the presentation of the Hydrology course is shown: 

Hydrology course 

In the XXI century, water management continues to be as important as it was in ancient times, the imposing aqueducts that have survived to this day indicate the enormous effort that humanity has dedicated to water and that remind us of the importance of this vital resource and scarce. Despite the great importance it represents, its mismanagement and indiscriminate use can lead to a loss of quality and quantity to the point that it cannot be used directly.