BEIRUT, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Wazzani water pumping station, a major drinking water project in southern Lebanon's border area, has been successfully repaired after ceasing operation for two months due to Israeli bombings, Wassim Daher, director of the South Lebanon Water Establishment, said on Wednesday.
Daher said efforts were underway to repair and restart the electricity generators and pumps at the Houla and Taybeh water projects in southern Lebanon, which were also damaged by Israeli attacks. The work includes cleaning the ponds of sediment buildup, with the aim to complete the task within a week at the latest.
On Feb. 6, an Israeli drone launched several air-to-surface missiles at the Wazzani station, resulting in severe damage to its main pumps, control panels, and operating systems.
The Wazzani station, which began operating in 2002, boasts a daily pumping capacity of up to 12,000 cubic meters. According to Daher, about 150,000 people in 35 towns and villages in the border region of southern Lebanon benefit from its water supply, including both local residents and Syrians living in the area.
Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. In response, Israel retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. ■
