South Lebanon Water Authority Responds to Electricity Company: Paid 1.775 Billion LBP, Awaiting Compensation for Exemptions

The South Lebanon Water Authority responded to two statements issued by the board of directors of Electricite du Liban regarding the demand for public administrations and institutions to settle their dues, issuing the following statement:

"In order to place public opinion fully informed about the relationship between the two institutions, we wish to point out the following:

Firstly: The authority initiated on 2/9/2026 the payment of an initial installment of electricity bill dues worth 1,400 billion Lebanese pounds, covering the second half of 2023 invoices, under letter No. 891/S.

Secondly: Last month, the Chairman and Director General of the South Lebanon Water Authority, Dr. Wassim Daher, held a meeting with Kamal Hayek, then Chairman and Director General of Electricite du Liban, at the offices of Electricite du Liban, attended by heads of technical departments. During the meeting, it was agreed to adopt technical mechanisms to address the billing file, regulate consumption, and coordinate the work of technical and maintenance teams. In implementation of this agreement, the authority paid a second installment on 15/10/2026 worth 375 billion Lebanese pounds under letter No. 1152/S. Thus, the total amount paid reached 1.775 billion.

These initiatives by the authority—payment, communication, and agreement—preceded the initiative mentioned in the latest statement by the board of directors of Electricite du Liban, which excluded "Rafic Hariri International Airport"!

Thirdly: The authority fulfills its obligations under exceptional financial circumstances, as it has not received any compensation to date for the exemptions approved by the Parliament and the Government in favor of subscribers affected by the Israeli aggression. These exemptions were issued under Law No. 22 dated 11/7/2025 and amended by Law No. 58 dated 5/8/2026. The authority documented these rights in a letter to the Ministry of Energy and Water, attaching detailed tables totaling 2,603,667,746,000 Lebanese pounds for the years 2024 and 2025.

It is also worth noting that the South Lebanon Water Authority is exempt from electricity bills for the year 2024 under the same exemption law issued by the Parliament, which included the exemption of water subscription bills for the year 2025.

Fourthly: Media outlets and several politicians and journalists circulated information about a new expected exemption for 2026. Consequently, a wide segment of subscribers refrained from paying, and the collection rate dropped to 12%. This unprecedented rate directly affects the authority's ability to fulfill its obligations and may force it to take measures to collect dues from subscribers, including fines and tariff increases, to ensure the continuity of the public service and provide water services to citizens.

In conclusion, the authority confirms that its relationship with Electricite du Liban is one of partnership between two complementary public utilities serving citizens. Any interruption in electricity supply to water facilities directly impacts water access to homes, as well as public administrations, security and military institutions, hospitals, elderly care homes, and low-income individuals unable to purchase water. The authority renews its commitment to what was agreed upon to preserve the continuity of both services together, placing these facts and realities in the hands of concerned parties and public opinion."