Swimming Holds Perils in Lebanon's Filthy Waters

Check this out. Around 300 million liters of sewage water is dumped in the Lebanese sea on a daily basis. The same sea greets many swimmers and holds tons of fish that are consumed by people all over the country.

Lebanon has been suffering from maritime pollution that has exceeded every red line and the alarm has been sounded, urging that appropriate measures be taken to halt its increase that threatens the fish supply as well as threatens the lives of the Lebanese people.

Sewers are the main contributor to the pollution crisis.

Untreated waste water is directly pumped into the sea.

People are even digging their own waste holes, hence adding up to the issue by affecting the subterranean water supplies.

The biggest danger is the fact that this is the same water that is being used for drinking as well as watering plants that may be later consumed by people.

We also notice that a large number of fishermen catch their fish directly at the sewage pipe dumping site without any consideration for the health risks that can emerge from such practices, as well as several people who swim in beaches that release an unbearable stench due to the amount of waste contained in the water.

Swimmers could face severe health issues that could be dangerous and even deadly if they swim in polluted waters.

They could face ear infections, severe diarrhea, Typhoid and liver infections.

Where are the least dangerous beaches then? And how is the percentage of bacteria in the water calculated?

Tests conducted by the "Environment and Development Network" revealed that the pollution rates vary from one area to the other but are shockingly higher in areas that attract tourists, swimmers and fishermen.

The first highly polluted site in the beach stretching from Nahr al-Kalb, an area crowded with hotels and luxury resorts, towards Dbayeh and Antelias. This first location didn't come as a surprise given that sewers pour into the sea, untreated, and have reached levels exceeding 3000 FC/100 ml.

If we continue examining test analyses, we notice that the Manara beach is one of the most polluted in the country as toxicity levels have reached 3000 FC/ 100 ml. The same goes for al-Ramleh al-Bayda, Damour and al-Saadiyat.

At the same time, we notice decreasing levels of pollution the Jbeil public beach compared to 2013, given that the pipe that used to pour into the sea has been moved to the north.

The Tripoli and Sidon public beaches also revealed decreasing toxicity rates as two treatment facilities are clearing up sewage water and re-pumping it in the ocean, thus dispersing and decomposing the filthy waste away from the swimming locations.

Some private beaches are doing well when it comes to test results while others close-by are severely polluted, probably due to the arrangements moving sewage pipes away from some resorts.

The beaches that can be considered safe for swimmers range from the north to the south as follows" Shekka/Herri, Selaata, Batroun, Jbeil, Amchit, al-Jiyyeh and al-Naqoura.

On a similar note, around 300 million liters of waste water is dumped in the sea everyday as the Council for Development and Reconstruction seeks to establish 12 coastal stations to control the sewage produced by major cities as well as 8 internal stations, thus securing water treatment for over 80% of the population.

The council also revealed that the remaining towns require up to 100 mini-stations and assured that work will start soon within the stations so as to protect Lebanon's beaches and water supplies for the coming five years.

Article originally written in Arabic by Serge Mghames