BAMAS - 3.2. Point and Non-point Sources of Groundwater Pollution in the Litani basin, Lebanon

The main point sources of groundwater pollution in the upper Litani and Lake Qaraoun Basin are:

• Solid waste dumpsites: None of the used dumpsites in the basin is lined and/or equipped with any facilities for leachate collection and treatment.
• Domestic wastewater: Sewage system outlets and indequatly maintained septic tanks cause groundwater pollution.

The main non-point source of groundwater contamination, on the other hand, is irrigated agriculture. Heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides in the agricultural sector is among the major threat to the quality of groundwater in the basin. As mentioned above, the most significant nutrients affecting groundwater quality are nitrogen in the form of nitrates and phosphorus as phosphates. Various types of pesticides are also among important pollutants that could be leached down to groundwater depending on their retention and adsorption properties. (4.2 Point and Non-point Sources of Groundwater Pollution - p. 22)