Quneitra Authorities Crack Down on Illegal Water Network Connections
As part of efforts to preserve water resources and ensure equitable access for citizens, the Water Authority of the General Establishment for Drinking Water and Sanitation in Quneitra, in cooperation with Internal Security Forces, has conducted an extensive field campaign. The operation targeted the villages of Ain Fariha and Abu Ghara in the southern countryside of the governorate.
The initiative aims to detect and remove unauthorized water extraction and illegal connections on the primary pumping lines originating from wells. Salem Al-Bakhit, Director of the General Establishment for Drinking Water and Sanitation, stated that these violations have led to reduced water pressure. This has deprived a large segment of the local population of their allocated water shares, as some violators have been illegally diverting water for crop irrigation and livestock use.
The company has implemented a series of immediate measures to rectify the situation. These actions include the formal documentation of legal violations against the offenders, the imposition of financial fines, and the complete disconnection of unauthorized extraction lines. Additionally, technical teams have commenced the rehabilitation of damaged sections of the network to ensure efficient distribution and improve water access for all neighborhoods within the two villages.
Al-Bakhit emphasized that these field tours will continue and intensify to cover all regions and rural areas across the governorate. He affirmed that the relevant authorities will not tolerate any transgressions that threaten the water security of citizens. The company has called on residents to cooperate by reporting any instances of tampering with public networks to help stabilize the water supply.
This campaign is in line with previous directives issued by the company that prohibit the use of drinking water for agricultural irrigation under penalty of legal prosecution. Furthermore, these measures are part of a broader plan to conserve water resources. Recently, the Quneitra Directorate of Water Resources began pumping water into the Allan Valley stream to secure the needs of surrounding agricultural lands and protect crops from drought, highlighting the coordinated government efforts to regulate water consumption within the governorate.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
