The city of Sheikh Meskin in the Daraa countryside is suffering from blocked and overflowing sewage in the Abu al-Laban Valley channel running through the city, necessitating the intervention of municipal council workshops to address the leaks. Residents have warned of the spread of diseases and harmful insects, especially with the complete closure of the network on the western side of the city.
Lawyer Fadi Kaour, a resident of the Eastern District, explained that the damaged channel is located on a vital road leading to schools, increasing health concerns. For his part, citizen Anas Al-Khalaf warned of the environmental and health risks resulting from sewage flowing from the cities of Izraa and Basr al-Harir into the channel for more than twenty days.
Health and Environmental Risks
Engineer Adnan Abu Namer pointed out that the flooding of sewage in the main channel of the valley in the Eastern District poses a direct threat to public health. He warned of the risks of exposure to diseases, including viral hepatitis, in the presence of children playing near the open channel.
Causes of Blockage and Interventions
For his part, Sheikh Meskin Municipal Council President, Mohammed Al-Awad, said that the return of large numbers of residents has led to increased pressure on basic services, amid limited financial capacities. He noted that infrastructure suffered widespread damage during the former regime, with about 90 percent affected, including the sewage network.
Al-Awad added that the current problem lies in sewage exiting its course in the valley, east of the Family Medicine Center, and floods occurring due to blocked culverts on the western side of the city. He pointed out that the high cost of fully rehabilitating the outlet has prevented the implementation of a comprehensive solution so far.
Temporary Solutions and Previous Projects
He clarified that service agencies rely on temporary technical treatments until the necessary budget is secured to carry out rehabilitation works and permanently resolve the problem. The Sheikh Meskin Municipal Council had previously started implementing a project on August 16 to replace sewage lines and lay new lines one kilometer long, covering 10 percent of the needs, with support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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