Investigation conducted by Ahmad Hajj Amro and Omar Karim
Forty-year-old Saleh al-Mohammad is forced to send six of his children to work in the city of al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo, to cover living expenses and the high cost of water, which they purchase from tank owners. This comes after water has been completely cut off from al-Bab and its surrounding areas for around seven years.
While al-Mohammad’s plans succeed in gathering enough money for water through the collective efforts of his family, 300,000 residents of al-Bab and its countryside struggle to secure it due to the high prices of well water, shortages, and economic hardship. As a result, many families are forced to use unclean, salty water.
Al-Bab, located in northeastern Aleppo, has changed hands several times throughout the Syrian conflict, starting with Syrian opposition factions taking control in 2012 after ousting regime forces, followed by ISIS, and most recently falling under the control of the Syrian National Army.
This situation coincides with the spread of a cholera epidemic in Syria, which has reached 217,512 suspected cases across all 14 provinces, with 106 confirmed deaths by November 2023.
In late 2015, Syrian army forces took control of the Ain al-Bayda station, which supplies water to al-Bab. About three months later, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent announced that “the Ain al-Bayda station is back in service” and that it was ready to supply water to al-Bab and its surrounding areas after months of downtime. This came after maintenance and rehabilitation works were carried out in partnership with the International Red Cross, with UNICEF providing a generator. According to the statement, water services were restored to al-Bab and its countryside.
The Syrian Red Crescent released a set of images showing the station fully operational. The Syrian Ministry of Irrigation’s water directorate supplied water for a year until 2017, after which the supply was cut off.
The Ain al-Bayda station is a key facility responsible for supplying water to al-Bab. Its pumps were old but were upgraded in 2007. The station has a production capacity of 1,200 cubic meters of treated drinking water per hour and is equipped with four pumps, three of which are operational, with one kept in reserve.
While water from the Ain al-Bayda station was cut off despite the station’s rehabilitation, Syrian authorities were constructing a new pumping station called Umm Khirza in Jabal Salim to deliver clean drinking water to villages in al-Bab that are under regime control.
Similarly, the European Union and its partners supported the reactivation of another station, al-Khafsa, which has been under government control since March 2017. This station supplies water to the Ain al-Bayda station, which in turn supplies al-Bab. Despite these efforts, water has yet to return to al-Mohammad’s home or the homes of hundreds of thousands of residents in al-Bab and its surrounding areas.
In March 2017, a high-level government delegation, including the ministers of water resources, electricity, and health, and the governor of Aleppo, visited the al-Khafsa station for a technical inspection. Then-Minister of Water Resources Nabil al-Hassan told local media that “all 16 water pumps at the al-Khafsa station are operationally sound,” adding that “two pumps need complete maintenance, while the others are ready to operate as soon as power supplies are secured.”
On November 25, 2019, two and a half years after the Syrian regime took control of the station, it announced that the al-Khafsa station was back in service at a cost of 4.1 billion Syrian pounds (around $8.2 million at the time).
While the rehabilitation of al-Khafsa station was supported by the European Union mission to Syria, the International Red Cross, and ECHO, the Syrian regime released a video announcement about the station’s rehabilitation featuring former Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous alongside military officers at the station, without acknowledging the EU’s role.
This investigation reveals how the lack of oversight by international donors, who helped rehabilitate both the al-Khafsa and Ain al-Bayda stations, combined with the poor governance by the Syrian regime, allowed the regime to use foreign aid intended for repair and rehabilitation projects as a political tool. The regime weaponized water as collective punishment against Syrians living outside its control, according to a former official at the Syrian Red Crescent’s al-Bab branch.
This situation comes at a time when talk of “early recovery” is widespread, particularly from the European Union and its partners, despite the EU’s repeated emphasis that “EU projects are for all Syrians without discrimination, including in areas under both government and non-government control.”
Al-Khafsa station is located on the banks of the Euphrates River near the town of al-Khafsa in eastern Aleppo. It is the main station that supplies Aleppo and its countryside with drinking water. Established in the 1920s, control over the station changed hands multiple times during the Syrian conflict, with various factions using water as a tool for military pressure. The Syrian regime regained control of the station on March 8, 2017.
Due to its critical role in providing drinking water to approximately 25% of Syrians, the European Union and its partners supported rehabilitation efforts at the station in 2019. They continue to monitor its operations and needs.
How Does Water Reach al-Bab?
Water is pumped to al-Bab through a complex system that begins with water being drawn from the Euphrates River by the al-Babiri station, which pumps it to al-Khafsa. There, the water is treated before being channeled through irrigation canals to other stations. These stations then pump it to residents.
One of these canals supplies water to Ain al-Bayda station, where chlorine levels are tested and adjusted. The water is then pumped to the Sheikh Aqil reservoir in al-Bab and distributed to homes.
Unjust Infrastructure Rehabilitation
While the residents of al-Bab struggle to secure clean water, the head of the European Union delegation to Syria, Dan Stanesco, visited regime-controlled areas in Homs, Hama, and Aleppo on August 8, 2022. His visit began with an inspection of al-Khafsa station, during which he reaffirmed the EU’s support for the station through its partners: ECHO and the International Red Cross.
Stanesco said: “I am visiting al-Khafsa station in Aleppo, which is part of the largest drinking water supply system in Syria, providing drinking water to more than 3.2 million people. The European Union, through its partner organizations, supports investment in Syrian infrastructure.”
We interviewed a former official in the Syrian Red Crescent’s al-Bab branch and maintenance officials from both Ain al-Bayda and al-Khafsa stations. Both confirmed that “until the regime entered the station and took control, there was no malfunction in the water supply lines that delivered water to al-Bab.”
In addition to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent’s acknowledgment that Ain al-Bayda station was rehabilitated in 2016 through a partnership with the International Red Cross and UNICEF, a maintenance engineer who oversaw operations at both Ain al-Bayda and al-Khafsa for several years, and currently works for al-Bab’s local council, said, “When I was responsible for maintenance at Ain al-Bayda, we made sure to fix any breakdowns to ensure continuous water pumping. The water flowed into the Sheikh Aqil reservoir in al-Bab around the clock via an 800 mm diameter line.”
Throughout the war, this engineer was closely involved in the station’s operations, even repairing Ain al-Bayda several times under both Syrian opposition and ISIS control. Thanks to these efforts, the water supply continued uninterrupted to both Aleppo and al-Bab.
He added: “Everyone agreed to keep the water pumping going.” Deals were struck between the regime and ISIS, with tribal mediators ensuring continuous water flow. “We were part of this reality and only intervened when maintenance was needed.”
We presented these facts to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and asked several questions via email about why the water supply was cut after the station’s rehabilitation. However, we received no response by the time this investigation was published.
A former official at the Syrian Red Crescent in al-Bab, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that he visited both the al-Khafsa and Ain al-Bayda stations after ISIS was driven out. He requested that water supply to Ain al-Bayda be restored as before, but Aleppo’s Water Directorate began making excuses, claiming that the Sheikh Aqil reservoir in al-Bab was unsuitable for storage.
He explained: “I took pictures of the reservoir from inside and outside, proving it was ready to receive water, but to no avail.”
The official continued: “I contacted many officials to pressure Aleppo’s Water Directorate to resume pumping to al-Bab, especially since all the lines were intact, the main station had surplus water, and expenses were covered. In the end, a senior security official told me that the issue was political and that I shouldn’t waste my time any further.”
He added: “When I heard that the EU delegation was visiting Syria, I was told they would visit both al-Khafsa and Ain al-Bayda. However, they only visited al-Khafsa.”
The response stated that “In 2016 and 2017, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) rehabilitated half of the water pumping station at Ain al-Bayda. However, the scale of the needs exceeds the capacity of a single humanitarian organization to address.” It highlighted that “the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations are working to complete the remaining work at the station. The ICRC’s efforts include installing a direct power supply line to ensure more reliable electricity provision. Additionally, the ICRC provides substantial support to the water treatment plant in Khafsah, which supplies water to the Ain al-Bayda pumping station.” The statement clarified that “these efforts will eventually restore the supply of drinking water from the Ain al-Bayda station to the town of al-Bab.”
Residents’ Struggles with the Ongoing Water Crisis
For the eighth consecutive year, civilians in the city of al-Bab have been left without water. This dire situation has prompted opposition officials to hold extensive meetings in an attempt to find emergency solutions. Simultaneously, media campaigns under the banner “Thirsty al-Bab” have resurfaced, while the local council of al-Bab issues periodic pleas for help, warning of the impending depletion of wells, which have become the city’s sole water source.
In a recent statement, the local council called for “the reopening of the Ain al-Bayda pumping station under regime control, as the water crisis has become critical for the 300,000 civilians living in al-Bab.” The council also noted that 4,500 hectares of agricultural land are on the verge of desertification due to the water shortage.
Abu Taha, who works transporting water tankers to al-Bab, said: “We get the water from wells west of al-Bab.” However, he added that this hasn’t solved the crisis, explaining, “The wells are insufficient, and there aren’t enough of them to meet the civilians’ needs. Our lands rely on rainwater, which is already scarce, and the wells can’t meet the demand, so the entire region is relying on only four wells.”
He further explained that the price of a barrel of water used to be 1,000 Syrian pounds, but it now averages around 10 Turkish liras. “Five barrels cost 50 liras, and 10 barrels cost 80 liras. The price has doubled due to the water scarcity and the rising cost of fuel. If more water were available, I would sell it at a lower price, but the scarcity and the difficulty of securing water make that impossible.”
Abu Taha also pointed out that, due to the high cost of clean water, many people are purchasing salty, non-potable water because it’s cheaper. Some families can only afford to buy small quantities in medium-sized containers, unable to meet the daily costs for large barrels of water. “Some families consist of 10 members, and they need five barrels every two days, costing 50 Turkish liras,” he explained.
Ali al-Zein, a resident of Tadef living in al-Bab, said: “I’ve been working in water transport for four years, and we’ve been struggling with water scarcity and drying wells. There simply isn’t enough water, and that’s the main problem.”
He added, “The price of a barrel of water is 10 Turkish liras, even though most people can’t afford it. We rely on wells, but extracting water is extremely difficult.” Al-Zein spends long hours waiting with his tanker just to get the chance to fill it up.
The Syrian Ministry of Water Resources did not respond to our inquiries about the continued halt in water supply from the Ain al-Bayda pumping station.
Farmers Are Considering Giving Up Agriculture
The damage caused by the water crisis is not limited to the lack of drinking water. Farmers are now contemplating giving up agriculture altogether due to the lack of irrigation water and the impossibility of irrigating their land.
Farmer Mohammed Khariz said: “I own land at the Tadef roundabout. In the past, when water was available, we could irrigate our land normally. Now, we irrigate for two hours and then stop for four. We used to farm 10 hectares, but now we can only manage one.”
He explained that he currently irrigates the land for two hours, consuming 15 to 20 liters of diesel. “The water pressure used to be strong; we could run the irrigation pumps for seven hours after just a few minutes of starting the motor, and there was plenty of water. Now, there’s just not enough.”
According to the local council of al-Bab, 4,500 hectares of agricultural land are on the verge of desertification due to the water shortage, and many farmers have abandoned their fields, leaving them uncultivated.
Have Taxpayer Funds Been Spent Fairly?
In a statement published by the European Union on Twitter following the visit of the EU Special Envoy to Syria, the EU reiterated its stance, stating that “since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the EU has been supporting projects benefiting all Syrians without discrimination, including those in both government-controlled and non-government-controlled areas.”
The EU emphasized that “this aligns with the EU’s policy of no normalization, no lifting of sanctions, and no reconstruction, which will only be possible once Damascus engages in a political transition and fully implements UN Security Council Resolution 2254.”
However, the EU’s claims seem to contradict the reality on the ground, where a segment of Syrians has been deprived of access to water. The Syrian regime, exploiting foreign-funded repair projects, has allegedly used water as a weapon, withholding it from areas outside its control.
Even the Wells Might Run Dry!
We presented our findings to UNICEF, and Amr Ammar, the regional head of advocacy and communication, responded: “UNICEF provided a generator to the Ain al-Bayda water station in 2016, which allowed water to flow to the surrounding areas and the city of Al-Bab for about a year. However, UNICEF was unable to safely access the area until 2022.” He explained that “a comprehensive technical assessment of the station revealed significant damage.”
Ammar added, “Rehabilitation of the station began with UNICEF’s support following the assessment, and it is expected to be completed within three months. Once the water station is restored, pipeline repairs will commence. Upon completion, and with electricity supplied by another humanitarian agency, the Ain al-Bayda station will provide water to all areas within its coverage, including Al-Bab and the surrounding villages. In the meantime, alternative water sources have been secured to meet the minimum safe water requirements for the population of Al-Bab.”
UNICEF also supported an emergency project to extract water from wells for Al-Bab instead of relying on the Ain al-Bayda station. According to Reliefweb, UNICEF provided operational and maintenance support for 17 low-yield wells available in the region. However, these wells only supply 35 liters of water per person per day. UNICEF also installed an additional well.
Despite the high costs of the well-water extraction project, it has proven ineffective due to the declining water levels in these wells, with some wells even going out of service.
According to the local council of Al-Bab, the water levels in the wells have significantly dropped from previous levels. In the town of Al-Rai, five wells were operational, but three have since gone out of service. The water capacity at the station, which used to be 300 cubic meters, has now decreased to 88 cubic meters. Similarly, the Susiyan water station, which previously had 18 operational wells, now only has 7, with the water capacity dropping from 250 cubic meters to 42. The same pattern is seen at the Sandi station, where the water capacity has dropped from 800 cubic meters to 300.
Meanwhile, Saleh al-Mohammad continues his arduous struggle to secure drinking water for his family of 24. While he remains hopeful for an alternative water solution, the current stopgap of costly water tank deliveries seems to be on the verge of collapse… as the wells may soon run dry.
This investigation was carried out by the Syrian Investigative Journalism Unit – SIRAJ, with research contributions from Mohammad Skaf.
