Integrated Solid Waste Management Master Plans for the Upper Litani Basin

The World Bank-financed Lake Qaraoun Pollution Prevention Project (LQPPP) aims to reduce untreated municipal wastewater discharge into the Litani River and improve pollution management around Lake Qaraoun. After the project's second restructuring, support was extended to solid waste services in Zahle, Joub Jannine and Bar Elias, covering Service Zone 14 (West Bekaa-Rachaya) and Service Zone 15 (Zahle).

Libanconsult worked for the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) from October 2024 to December 2025. The firm prepared an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) Master Plan for each service zone and supervised the refurbishment of the existing sorting facilities and the installation of new equipment.

The scope covered inception and the collection of existing data, and an assessment of solid waste management in each zone, including waste characterisation and forecasting. The ISWM Master Plans for SZ14 and SZ15, serving about 647,000 residents, are aligned with Law No. 80/2018 and a zero-waste approach. The team also prepared a cost-recovery plan with CAPEX/OPEX projections and a fee mechanism, and an awareness and communication plan.

CDR now has an ISWM Master Plan for each zone, a cost-recovery framework and upgraded sorting facilities for the Upper Litani Basin. The priority is now to put these measures into operation to reduce waste-related pollution and protect Lake Qaraoun.