1 / 6Severe Drought: Damascus faces a critical water shortage as the Ein al-Fijeh spring, its main water source, delivers only a trickle. The spring, supplying 70% of the city’s water, is at its lowest level due to the driest winter since 1956. Located in the Barada Valley, it has sustained Damascus for millennia but now struggles with reduced rainfall and snowmelt.
2 / 6Historic Spring: The Ein al-Fijeh spring rises within a Roman temple’s ruins, historically filling tunnels during the winter flood season. This year, the tunnels are nearly dry, a stark contrast to past abundance. Hassan Bashi, a guard with 33 years at the spring, notes this is the driest year he has witnessed, showing old videos of once-high waters.
3 / 6Water Rationing: With the spring’s output critically low, Damascus’s 5 million residents face severe shortages. Many now rely on costly private tanker trucks filled from wells, as tap water is limited. Government officials, including Ahmad Darwish of the Damascus City Water Supply Authority, urge residents to conserve water for basic needs like showering and cleaning.
4 / 6Infrastructure Challenges: The spring’s channels, built by Romans and upgraded in 1920 and 1980, depend on rainfall and snowmelt from mountains near Lebanon. This year’s below-average precipitation has drastically reduced water flow. Darwish warns that 1.1 million homes must cut consumption to stretch the limited supply through the year, especially with summer approaching.
5 / 6Local Impact: In Damascus’s Abbasids area, resident Bassam Jbara reports water access limited to 90 minutes daily, down from constant availability. Persistent electricity cuts exacerbate the issue, hindering water pumping to rooftop tanks. Jbara’s neighborhood once spent $15 on undrinkable tanker water, a significant cost in a country where many earn under $100 monthly.
6 / 6Regional Consequences: The Barada River, fed by the spring, is mostly dry, affecting Damascus and nearby areas. The spring’s decline follows years of conflict, including shelling during Syria’s 14-year war and control shifts between Assad’s forces and insurgents. Tarek Abdul-Wahed, rebuilding his restaurant near the spring, laments the area’s desert-like state, hoping for a return of visitors.
