Syrian Arab Republic

Sectoral impact:

Humanitarian WASH needs are estimated to increase over the coming months, among old and new displacements, disruption in water and sanitation services and power supply, security situations, socio- economic crisis, and the drought like situations, exacerbating the water scarcity crisis and facilitating the spread of water and vector borne disease (WVBD).

The recent hostilities have caused a significant deficit in water and power infrastructure, affecting the operation of WASH systems. The main water station serving over 100,000 people in Kobani/Ain Arab city and 50 surrounding villages was destroyed on 2 February 2025. In Deir-ez-Zor, 10 water stations were also damaged in January 2025. The subsequent disruptions in service provision increase public health risks, especially within communities already affected by a prolonged water crisis or recent active AWD transmission.

The decreased water flow in the Euphrates to less than 250 m³/s has affected the primary water sources for Aleppo and Ar-Raqqah governorates. The water level in the lake behind the Euphrates Dam has decreased to less than six meters, resulting in a 15 per cent decrease in the dam's electricity generation capacity and the operation of the water pumping stations on the lake, including Al Khafesh and Al Babari stations.

The low precipitation in Syria (less than 60 per cent of the average annual rainfall, has affected the country's water supply, particularly in the northeast and southern areas. The water authorities reported a severe decline in groundwater levels in Al Hasakeh and As Sweida, as well as a decrease in the productivity of the water springs in Damascus and Rural Damascus. Low wastewater treatment capacities and widespread disposal of untreated wastewater pose significant public health and environmental concerns. At least 26 per cent of sewage networks require repairs or cleaning.¹

Disruptions in existing IDP sites in northern Syria have direct physical and mental well-being and protection consequences, notably on children, the elderly, women and girls. In north-west Syria alone, nearly 1.5 million IDPs in 651 camps and 120 communities, lost access to WASH services in March. In addition, 570 camps (650,000 IDPs) lack adequate services and the IDPs residing in the affected sites reported challenges in accessing toilets due to uncleanness reported by 20.1 per cent, lack of privacy for about 15 per cent of the facilities, absence of handwashing facilities in about 11.6 per cent while 6.1 per cent of shared toilets do not have gender disaggregated usage.²

According to the finding of the latest IDP return intentions’ survey,³ in Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-ez-Zor, only 11 per cent of IDPs indicated their intention to return to their areas of origin, due to due to a number of challenges including lack of access to livelihood opportunities and basic services. While in Aleppo and Idlib, about 600,000 returnees are expected before the end of summer, and 1 million IDPs are expected to return between 2025 and early 2026. The 35 per cent who indicated their intent to remain in IDP sites beyond 12 months need continued WASH response, especially to the most vulnerable.⁴

In potential areas of returns, WASH services have decayed and are unable to properly serve the population. Idlib, Aleppo and Al-Hasakeh strongly depend on unsafe and unregulated water trucking. 47 per cent of the population countrywide does not have enough water, mainly due to availability (30.4 per cent) and affordability (20.7 per cent), especially in Rural Damascus, As-Sweida, Aleppo, Al Hasakeh. Coping strategies include reducing water consumption (16.3 per cent) and spending money otherwise planned on water (13.9 per cent), negatively impacting well-being and the safety of households.⁵

Insecurity and lack of humanitarian access, shrinking WASH sector funding is affecting the capacity of WASH partners to meet the essential needs of vulnerable populations. In Areesha and Washokani camps alone, funding cuts by the USA left some 28,500 people with limited access to services; and the same impact is being felt by nearly 1.5 million people in Aleppo and Idlib. Risks of exposure to Eos are also affecting the delivery of and usage of WASH services.

Critically bad sanitation conditions, poor hygiene practices and deterioration of water quality increase public health risks, including water-borne diseases and leishmaniosis, as well as alarming and unprecedent malnutrition rates. By the end of 2024, several AWD cases were reported in northern Syria, with a possible resurgence of cases in spring. In Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-ez-Zor, water scarcity remains a major challenge, with over 80 per cent of water supply systems not functioning, mainly due to damaged power systems. This causes 1.8 million people due to lack of access to safe water, including 610,000 residents and IDPs in Al Hasakeh, with Alouk water station not operational.

The economic downturn and limited household revenues remain a challenge for vulnerable communities and households in accessing safe and equitable WASH services and hygiene items. The downturn also affects the prices of services and goods, increasing the cost of the response. Desludging services are not available (16 per cent) or affordable (22 per cent). Challenges in accessing hygiene items are reported, especially in Aleppo and Idlib.⁶

Immediate needs:

• As of November 2024, 14.4 million people are in need, with 77.5 per cent in acute need. Over 870,000 more people are in need compared to last year, mostly in northern Syria.
• A significant number of IDPs and their host communities are in dire need of WASH services. In northern Syria, over 2 million IDPs living in camps and informal settlements are still in need of life- saving WASH services. In Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-ez-Zor, new IDPs in emergency collective centres lack proper access to life-saving WASH services. Over 4,500 people lack access to water, 40,000 to hygiene items and nearly 25,000 people live in centres which have never received sanitation or water interventions. Ongoing displacement-related needs are yet to be quantified.
• Communities affected by WVBD need a targeted WASH response to reduce mortality and to control the spread of disease.
• Malnourished children and PLW need proper WASH in nutrition interventions.
• WASH conditions in institutions, including healthcare facilities, remain substandard. Inadequate WASH conditions in schools affect enrolment and attendance rates, particularly affecting girls.

Priority activities:

• Strengthen coordination and IM to ensure effective coordination and monitoring of WASH needs and response.
  • Provide lifesaving immediate access to WASH services and goods and hygiene promotion to new displaced people in sites and communities, with priority in Al-Hasakeh, Ar-Raqqa, and Deir-ez-Zor.
  • Maintain critical WASH services, access to goods and hygiene promotion in existing IDP sites, especially in northern Syria.
  • Where the intention of returns from IDPs sites are clear, suspend long/mid-term sustainable solutions to focus on life-saving interventions.
  • Ensure continuity of WASH services at community level by providing essential emergency repairs and operational support to WASH systems, including power supply and use of unconventional water sources.
  • Strengthen WASH governance systems and build capacity of WASH entities.
  • Provide water treatment products for water disinfection at system level.
  • Continue water quality monitoring.
  • Ensure capacity to respond to AWD, leishmaniosis and other diseases, including by emphasizing risk communication and community engagement aspects.
  • Provide WASH in nutrition (WiN) kits and hygiene promotion sessions to PLW and children admitted with SAM or MAM.
  • Support healthcare and nutrition facilities with gender-friendly and disability-adapted WASH facilities and services.
  • Support schools, learning spaces, and child friendly spaces (CFSs) with gender-friendly and disability- adapted WASH facilities.

Response strategy:

• In 2025, the WASH sector aims to reach over 3 million IDPs and members of host communities with WASH services and goods, nearly 2.9 million affected by WVBD or malnutrition and 2.1 million people by ensuring continuity of WASH services in the most vulnerable communities, through an effective coordination and reinforced IM system.
• The response will be delivered through a combination of available response modalities (in-kind, service delivery, market-based programming (MBP), etc.) depending on the context, vulnerabilities, preferences of affected people and operational feasibility. Use of MBP and CVA is encouraged. Investing in robust IM will help to better inform humanitarian programming and choose the best response modality.
• WASH will continue to enhance multisectoral integration and collaboration, including working with CCCM and SNFI sectors to provide access to WASH services in IDPs sites; with ERL for the repair of WASH systems; and with health to support WASH and infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities and scaling up outbreak preparedness and response. WASH will also provide WiN assistance to children and PLW affected by SAM and MAM and their caregivers with the nutrition sector; and support WASH facilities and services in schools and CFSs with the education and child protection sectors. WASH will collaborate with the health, protection and education sectors to provide women and girls with menstrual hygiene management (MHM) services and support mechanisms to meet their MHM needs with safety, privacy, and dignity; with the GBV AoR to mitigate GBV risks linked with WASH facilities; and with the mine action AoR to ensure safe delivery of activities and to report any EO contamination.
• Working with local and central authorities to support water governance systems will be key to the response. Advocacy will focus on protecting and keeping WASH systems running and disassociating water resources from political objectives.
• Community consultation and engagement will be prioritized, to ensure the involvement of women, men, boys and girls and PLWD throughout the project cycle. WASH will ensure gender, environmental, age and disability inclusion and protection responsive programming, with enhancements in disaggregated monitoring and reporting.