Uncle Habib had no idea that he was drinking polluted water the entire time. He believed that Mayrouba’s Tannour water source is clean; however, recently conducted tests tell of a shocking truth.
Apparently, the water samples from the source indicate a high pollution rate of over 50 percent, slightly less than tha of Ain al-Sawan or Ain Merhij.
According to the municipality, young and old have be drinking from a water source that is filled with contaminants such as mineral build-up (calcite) and sewage effluent.
When we contacted the Minister of Energy, he was kind enough to transfer us to his office personnel who assured us that the licensed wells do not pollute the water in Mayrouba, nor does calcite. The problem is that some folks have been using unlicensed artesian wells as an alternative to sewage disposals, thus explaining the presence of excrements or bacteria in the tests.
The Energy Ministry office stressed that the inspection of said wells falls under the jurisdiction and responsibility of the Interior and Environment ministries.
The minister's advisor, Randa al-Nemer, said that the ministry has sent more than one circular to the Interior Minister, Nohad Machnouq, in which the number of violating artesian wells in the area was clearly illustrated, coupled with the minister's complaints over the Interior ministry’s authorization of improper artesian wells, however no reply was received from Machnouq.