Page 192 - Lybia Flipbook

Quenching the Thirst: the Water Dilemma
Few resources in Libya have more value than water. Living in one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, Libyans have learned to adapt and innovate techniques to secure water. Irrigation systems dating back to 400 B.C., known as qanats or foggaras, can still be found in the southern province, and the ancient practice of keeping shallow wells or basins inside the home to collect rainwater is still used to this day. Over the centuries, most towns that developed near oases or desert wells have developed their own municipal water supply systems.
As the population and the economy experienced unprecedented growth with the oil boom, so did the demand for water. At first, additional water was drawn from coastal aquifers. This technique, however, was short- lived as water levels dropped below sea level, allowing the sea to mix with fresh water. Undaunted, the government used its new wealth from oil revenues to build grander water supply infrastructure.
By far, the most significant project was the Man-Made River. Like the ancient foggaras, the four-meter-high pipes of the Man-Made River form an underground system transporting fresh water from deep within the desert to coastal cities. Built over two decades ago, the Man-Made River remains one of the largest engineering projects in the world, with over 3,500 km of pipeline, 1,300 wells and several water treatment facilities, pumping around 6.5 million cubic meters of fresh water per day.
To supplement the water coming from the Sahara, thermal desalination plants were constructed along the coast. In addition, dozens of new wastewater treatment facilities were built throughout the country, improving sanitation services and people’s health.
Oil money allowed the government to continually increase water distribution to satisfy growing thirst. Water became a free commodity whose availability was simply taken for granted. But even though Libya has the extraordinary luck of
of the population with access to safe drinking water and sanitation services has steadily declined. Only 64 percent of the population now has access to potable water and only 24 percent to proper sanitation.
With the system that provided seemingly unlimited amounts of free water eroding, people have had to adapt. An increasing number of communities and households are digging ever deeper private wells, placing ever larger water storage containers on the roofs, and paying for trucks to bring water. As most domestic water is no longer potable, families have no choice but to buy bottled water.
Public water remains free, but the supply-driven system on which it relies has effectively ended.17
How the water system will evolve in the future remains uncertain. What is clear is that Libya has both the resources and the technical capability to build a more integrated and sustain- able system. Few countries in the world have as many engineers per capita, and few also have
the resources to adopt the latest technologies. Reverse osmosis desalination plants, rainwater catchments and reservoirs covered by floating solar panels to reduce evaporation are just a few of the non-traditional water supply solutions.
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sitting on Africa’s two largest
aquifers, water remains a finite
resource and, in the absence of
a more integrated and sustain-
able system, its cost is constantly
rising. Unfortunately, following
conflict and government frag-
mentation, investments in the
water system have dramatically
decreased, and the system has
suffered. Critical infrastructure,
including the Man-Made River,
has been damaged, and the desalination plants have fallen into disrepair. Likewise, few of the wastewater treatment facilities continue to operate so that less than ten percent of wastewater is treated, with the remainder being discharged into the sea or pits, creating environ- mental and health hazards. Not surprisingly, the share
“What gives me hope is the history of some countries that went through the same difficult circumstances and were able to overcome them through
the relentless efforts of their citizens; that gives me hope for recovery and catching up.” Hamza, 22 years