Participatory Improvement of Water and Sanitation Services in Tripoli through a Comparative Analysis with Irbid : final technical report

Abstract

The Tebbaneh region is considered one of the poorest urban areas in the City of Tripoli, Lebanon with an evident lack and/or degradation of basic service provision, in particular, the absence of proper hygienic sanitation, inadequate access to clean water, and poor waste management practices. These conditions are contributing directly to the exacerbation of poverty and the environmental degradation of the area. Under these conditions and with the support and endorsement of the Municipality of Tripoli and consultation with local non‐governmental organizations, the American University of Beirut (AUB) implemented a participatory study to improve water and sanitation services. The study relied on a combination of a top‐down and bottom‐up strategy and a comparative approach in a community in Irbid, Jordan with nearly similar cultural and demographic characteristics and where water and sanitation issues have improved in recent years. The project encompassed validation of the community needs and an assessment of the socio‐economic benefits‐costs of improved or lack of water supply and hygienic sanitation provisions and promoting awareness on the community’s role in environmental sustainability and resources preservation. Based on community surveys coupled with comparative analyses, pilot interventions were defined and implemented, including replacing corroded water tanks in attics in 19 buildings with new plastic water tanks on roof tops and the replacement of water pipes in 4 buildings. A framework for sustainable urban development was developed to serve as a guide for current and future urban environmental planning specifically in the Tebbaneh areas with potential scaling up and/or extension to other similar urban areas.