Enhanced access to basic WASH services through sustainable solutions for IDP and host community households in Northwest Syria With the Syrian conflict verging on its eleventh year, the humanitarian situation in Northwest Syria continues to deteriorate, impacting all life aspects of the Syrian families and further increasing their struggles to meet their basic needs. Through the proposed action, PIN strives to provide sustainable solutions that addresses the protracted nature of the needs and support communities to move away from aid dependency.
As indicated in the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), WASH systems suffered from damages owing to direct or indirect attacks, years of functioning at high capacity, with limited to no maintenance, effects of climate change and poor water resources management. These contextual challenges emerging from the continuation of the conflict have severely and negatively impacted the access to WASH services in communities both in and off camps.
WASH infrastructure requires significant support and investments with 37% of the off-camp population relying on alternatives to piped water and often unsafe water supply modalities to meet or complement their water needs. Access to sufficient and affordable safe water, adequate sanitation, solid waste management and/or hygiene supplies will remain a real challenge for 1.75 million people living in IDP sites that are highly dependent on continued humanitarian assistance. Disruptions and deteriorated quality of services in IDP sites have direct negative physical and mental impact on the well-being of the population leading to adverse protection consequences, in particular on women and girls. Moreover, the lack of operational costs is the reason for suspension of operation for around 24% of the water station according to the water station database 2021 W11-12 (attached).
Taking into consideration the possibility of non-renewal of the UNSC Resolution 2533, the provision of comprehensive WASH package throughout the year must be unconditionally sustained for 1.9M IDPs in last-resort sites and more sustainable solutions such as connection to existing water networks and/or establishment of simplified water and sewer networks ought to be considered.
Therefore, and based on the WASH need assessment conducted by PIN in April 2021, PIN plans through the proposed project to enhance the access to WASH services through the provision of sustainable solutions in 11 camps and 2 villages covering up to 16,351 vulnerable individuals (13,384 IDPs, 2,967 host) residing in those locations. PIN will scale up a safe and continued access to basic essential services through the installation of solar power systems for water stations that will ensure sustainable and cost-efficient provision of water in the 2 villages. In addition, PIN will connect those water stations to 11 nearby camps through existing water networks. Moreover, PIN will provide and install public water tanks in 9 of these camps and connect them to the newly extended water networks in order to ease water collection by beneficiaries. Additionally, PIN will connect 6 of those camps to nearby sanitation system as highlighted as need in the assessment, which will improve their access to sanitation services and minimize the negative impact of floods in the future. During and after the completion of the construction activities, PIN will provide the operational support along with the establishment of Tarifa system for one of two targeted water stations, while the another one already was covered by another NGO (Watan) through a cost recovery project. Capacity building for local councils will be provided by PIN staff through field coaching sessions focusing on operational aspect and management of water system and solar power plant. All other WASH services and supplies such as water trucking, septic tanks desludging, hygiene kits distribution, hygiene promotion, and solid waste management for all locations will be provided by other actors who PIN is coordinating closely with to ensure an NGO synergized response will maximize cost efficiency.