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Wednesday, 13 November 2024
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Ongoing Suffering in Hama Due to Sewage Flow in the Orontes River
نواعير حماة

The city of Hama is enduring continuous suffering due to the flow of sewage into the Orontes River, a sight that residents have become accustomed to, which has become a daily reality for them. 

This tragic situation exacerbates the residents' hardships throughout the seasons, with no final solution from the authorities under the regime, who have been unable to address the worsening problem.

Additionally, visitors to the city are faced with the sight of polluted water and the smell of sewage in Al-Assi Square and near the Al-Jasria waterwheel by Um Al-Hassan Park, which tarnishes the tourist appeal and repels visitors.

According to the "Al-Watan" newspaper, which is close to the regime, the new Governor of Hama conducted a tour of the area and witnessed the problem firsthand, prompting him to hold an urgent meeting with the relevant parties to discuss emergency solutions and find a comprehensive resolution to alleviate the suffering of residents and make the city more attractive to visitors.

It was noted that the responsible authorities started implementing temporary solutions, as the General Company for Engineering Studies, in cooperation with the Sewage Company, began wrapping the sewage line with a metal shell to temporarily reduce pollution.

In a statement by Mohammed Al-Haj Hassan, head of the Studies Division in the Technical Services Department, he mentioned that a comprehensive technical study has been prepared to solve the problem permanently at an estimated cost of 432 million Syrian pounds, including the installation of new pollution-resistant pipes.

The sewage problem is not limited to Hama alone; most Syrian provinces under regime control suffer from neglect of sewage infrastructure, making the environmental and health situation catastrophic.

In many areas, sewage is directly dumped into rivers and valleys, resulting in water contamination and deteriorating quality of the surrounding environment, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks, which warns of a long-term health disaster.

This crisis has negatively impacted historical and natural landmarks that were once symbols of beauty and major tourist destinations in Syria. Places that have long been associated with the memories of Syrians and the identity of their regions have now become polluted, leading to a decrease in visitor numbers and adversely affecting the local economy.

The distortion of rivers and natural landmarks reflects the neglect by the Syrian regime's government toward these areas and the lack of serious initiatives for their restoration, provoking public discontent among residents.