WIL Lebanon this year focuses on the Litani River’s industrial, agricultural and social water challenges. The importance of this river is that it is the longest river in Lebanon and its basin covers 20% of the country. Its waters feed three hydro-electrical plants, and several planned large scale irrigation systems (some still under construction). It is important to note that the Bekaa Valley is the largest agricultural area of the country and the Litani River (and its tributaries) feed many small scale-community managed irrigation systems. Moreover, the findings of several studies over the quality of the water have recorded high nitrate, total dissolved solids, and fecal coliform levels exceeding standard limits for drinking and irrigation purposes in different zones across the basin. The presence of several cattle farms, factories and food industries in the upper basin of the Litani as well as the uncontrolled discharge of municipal sewage onto the river are to be blamed. In addition, the war in Syria in 2011 that led more than one million refugees to move to Lebanon’s Bekaa region, some settling in camps directly on the riverbanks of the Litani has put strain on host communities, development agencies and local governments. Finally, heavy agricultural practices are considerably augmenting non-point source pollution on the surface and groundwater of the Litani Basin.

WIL Lebanon provides an opportunity to engage young leaders in coming up with innovative solutions to tackle water challenges facing Lebanon’s Litani River, looking at

• Circular Economy
• Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus
• IoT, Data Sciences, Artificial Intelligence
• Revival of Traditional Knowledge