Resilient Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Systems through Integrated Humanitarian-Development Processes: The Case of Lebanon’s Protracted Refugee Crisis

Abstract

When populations are displaced, say after a hurricane or a manmade crisis, water and wastewater utilities can face a real challenge in providing services to those displaced. The challenge is especially difficult when the local infrastructure was already strained in trying to meet the host community's predisplacement demand. What most communities need are resilient water and wastewater infrastructure systems, and what we develop in this paper is an integrated approach that can achieve such systems. Our approach takes into account the operating environment of bridging what some call the humanitariandevelopment (HD) nexus. The HD nexus is the phase in which a community transitions toward a response paradigm that combines humanitarian response with long-term services. The HD nexus poses inherent contextual challenges, and we identify them, through interviews with municipalities in Lebanon, in their physical, social, financial, and institutional dimensions. Furthermore, we explore interactions that can inform how best to address these challenges. Our results introduce policy areas (i.e., utility pricing and establishing shared development priorities) that support this transition across the HD nexus and achieve resilient systems. Our discussions give rise to an empirical understanding of the infrastructures' operating environments and thus contribute to global conversations on sustainable development.

Impacts of COVID-19 social distancing policies on water demand: A population dynamics perspective

“…In this study, we seek to better understand the spatiotemporal changes in water demand in response to SDP intervention. Such sudden shifts in demands must be assessed with the consideration of the infrastructures' operating environment ( Bakchan et al, 2020 , 2021 ; Hamilton et al, 2015 ), that is, environmental, financial, social, and institutional considerations within which a system exists or operates. These considerations, along with the physical system, are referred to as socio-technical dimensions .…”

Resilience in Water Infrastructures: A Review of Challenges and Adoption Strategies

“…Adequate funding is absolutely vital to the extensive investments that will be necessary to repair old infrastructures, bring them into compliance with more stringent health and environmental laws, and ensure future service quality [36]. As presented in Table 6, the next two most cited challenges are related to the population's low economic status and unemployment issues [70]. The author of [75] cited that human health is at risk due to inappropriate access to portable water, particularly in low-and middle-income nations as economic issues such as unemployment hinder the procurement of safe drinking water [70].…”

“…As presented in Table 6, the next two most cited challenges are related to the population's low economic status and unemployment issues [70]. The author of [75] cited that human health is at risk due to inappropriate access to portable water, particularly in low-and middle-income nations as economic issues such as unemployment hinder the procurement of safe drinking water [70]. The inability to pay utility bills, socio-economic status, and competition for local employment are the last three significant challenges of this category.…”

“…A state's capacity to respond to the rising water-sector demands is hampered by non-existent financial resources [76]. When utility customers do not pay their bills, it is difficult (or impossible) for municipalities to continue delivering services [70]. Furthermore, the interlinking nature of the socio-economic status is responsible for the unequal distribution of infrastructure facilities in many developing countries.…”

“…Climate change (E1), which belongs to the environmental category, scored the highest frequency (55); aging infrastructure (T1), which falls under the technical and infrastructure category, received the second-highest frequency (51); and lack of infrastructure capital (FE1), which belongs to the financial and economic category, received the third-highest frequency (49) among all identified challenges. As presented in Table 6, the next two most cited challenges are related to the population's low economic status and unemployment issues [70]. The author of [75] cited that human health is at risk due to inappropriate access to portable water, particularly in lowand middle-income nations as economic issues such as unemployment hinder the procurement of safe drinking water [70].…”