Restoring water and sanitation requires working wells and desalination, treatment plants, pipelines, pumps and sewage systems, plus power, fuel, chemicals and trained operators. The World Bank and UN reported in April 2024 that the system was delivering less than 5% of its previous output. That was a dated preliminary estimate based on damage assessed through January 2024, not a current measurement.
Repair the whole service chain
Water has to be produced or desalinated, treated, pumped, stored and delivered. Sewage must be collected and treated to protect public health and water sources. A repaired pipe cannot provide a reliable service if a pump lacks electricity or a treatment plant lacks fuel, chemicals or spare parts.
The World Bank and UN assessment summary reports the less-than-5% output figure and describes its preliminary scope. The full interim damage assessment says remote data were used to estimate physical damage because direct inspection was constrained.
Sequence repairs and keep them operating
First priorities are facility-by-facility inspections, safe drinking-water production, repairs to sewage pumps and treatment capacity, and access to operating supplies. Water trucking can cover urgent needs, but lasting recovery requires functioning networks and household connections. The World Bank-UN early recovery priorities include resuming essential services; they are not a final engineering plan or a costed water-sector program.
Published progress measures should separate water produced from water that meets drinking standards at the tap. They should also track sewage treated, network sections repaired, service hours and operating costs. The Security Council’s Resolution 2720 calls for humanitarian assistance through available routes, while long-term utility recovery requires dependable supply chains and safe access for repair crews.
Water service supports homes, clinics and schools as well as public health. See also border and materials monitoring.