Lebanon generates more than 300 million cubic metres of wastewater every year. Yet according to pre-crisis reports, only around a quarter of that wastewater is treated, and just a fraction receives treatment beyond the most basic level. Since the economic collapse and energy shortages of recent years, those figures are now assumed to be much lower.

Many of Lebanon’s existing Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) are either inactive or operating far below capacity. Some are disconnected from sewage networks, others lack house connections or rely on diesel generators that are no longer affordable to run. In total, more than 40% of the country’s households, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, are not connected to any formal wastewater system.

The consequences are visible and dangerous. Wastewater is discharged directly into rivers, groundwater, and the Mediterranean Sea. Informal reuse of contaminated water has become common, particularly among farmers unable to afford fuel for pumping clean water. This exposure has already contributed to repeated outbreaks of waterborne diseases, including a fatal cholera outbreak in the north of the country in 2022.

Despite more than one billion US dollars invested in the sector over the past three decades, Lebanon’s centralised wastewater approach has not delivered the expected results. The systems are too costly, too complex, and too reliant on conditions that no longer exist.

A Practical and Scalable Alternative

The newly launched policy paper, developed through the From Innovation to Creation programme, managed by SPARK and implemented with local partners in Lebanon presents decentralised wastewater treatment systems as a realistic and scalable solution. Funded by the European Union, the programme supports innovation across the region by strengthening local ecosystems and entrepreneurial approaches. In this case, the focus is on DEWATS: smaller, cost-effective systems that are far better suited to Lebanon’s fragmented infrastructure, rural geography, and ongoing energy and financial challenges.

They are already being implemented with success. In the town of Bcharre, a reed-bed wastewater plant has operated since 2013, treating the domestic waste of 40 households with minimal maintenance and no electricity. Another example is the BiomWeb system installed by Lebanese enterprise Mrüna in the municipality of Miziara. It treats 12,000 litres of wastewater per day for a remote neighbourhood near a nature reserve and requires only basic local upkeep.

“What this paper suggests is a different approach. Decentralised wastewater treatment systems are smaller, more affordable and easier to maintain,” explained Rita Al Jahjah, a contributor to the paper. “Our recommendations are based on research, local expertise and focus groups with stakeholders to enable the relevance of information and feasibility.”

The policy paper does not only highlight technical options. It also provides a full roadmap of policy and investment measures to support the adoption of decentralised systems across Lebanon. These include regulatory reforms to simplify permit processes, making tenders more accessible to small wastewater enterprises, creating partnerships between private providers and universities, and introducing results-based financing to ensure systems remain functional over time.

The paper also highlights the potential for circular business models, where treated wastewater and sludge can be reused in agriculture. This reuse model would improve sustainability and create opportunities for cost recovery, which is currently absent from Lebanon’s underfunded wastewater sector.

Entrepreneurs are already working to bridge the gap. Companies such as Mrüna and CUBEX are designing locally adapted systems and advising municipalities on implementation and maintenance. However, without clear standards, access to finance, or stable regulation, these efforts risk being lost.

The roadmap calls for long-term engagement between government actors, water establishments, donors, municipalities, and local businesses. It is only through this kind of multi-level coordination that decentralised wastewater treatment can become more than a stopgap. It must be part of a national strategy. As the paper makes clear, decentralised solutions are not a replacement for all infrastructure. However, in rural, semi-urban, and underserved  areas, they offer a viable way to improve public health, protect the environment, and strengthen Lebanon’s water resilience. With the right support, these systems can turn today’s wastewater problem into a source of clean water, economic opportunity, and long-term sustainability.