As its name says, WAMA+ is an additional phase rather than a fresh start. Its stated aim is to modernize Lebanon's water sector through digital transformation, better management of water resources and more efficient operations.
Sensors at 400 Sources, Records for 800,000 Subscribers
On the ground, the programme comes down to two jobs. First, digital monitoring systems will be installed at 400 major water sources. Systems like these give operators live data on supply, so drops and leaks can be spotted sooner.
Second, the records of roughly 800,000 subscribers will be updated across Lebanon's four regional water establishments, the public bodies that supply water and collect bills in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, the North, the South and the Bekaa. A utility cannot bill properly if it does not know exactly who its customers are.
Plugging Losses and Unpaid Bills
Minister said the programme should improve how water supply is managed, curb water losses and strengthen billing and revenue collection. He also linked it to the financial sustainability of the sector.
That last point is the business case. Water establishments that struggle to collect revenue lean on outside support to maintain networks and cover running costs. Better data on both the water and the people paying for it gives them a firmer footing to charge for what they deliver.
Donors Tie Support to Reform
German Ambassador to Lebanon Thomas Zanaisen and Deputy Head of the EU Delegation Sami Al-Saadi restated their commitment to reforms in Lebanon's water sector. Both pointed to greater transparency and fair access to water as goals.
Digital monitoring and clean subscriber lists also create a clearer record of where water, and money, actually goes. By mid-2029, the 400 monitored sources and 800,000 updated accounts will be the first test of what the €19.5 million has bought.
