Tripoli: Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi on Wednesday visited Tripoli as part of a northern tour that included the city's wastewater treatment plant and the Habb Water Treatment Plant, accompanied by officials from the ministry, donor organizations, the North Lebanon Water Establishment, and local authorities. Saddi announced the operational launch of the city's wastewater treatment plant, the largest in Lebanon, noting that it has been transferred to the North Lebanon Water Establishment and currently operates at 30-40% capacity. Once collection networks from Tripoli, Zgharta, and Dennieh are completed, the plant is expected to operate at full capacity. The project has received around $160 million in funding, with an additional $100 million needed to complete remaining works.

According to National News Agency - Lebanon, Saddi said the tour began at the Bared hydroelectric plant, where a German-funded rehabilitation project implemented by UNDP is expected to restore the facility's full capacity of 17 megawatts and boost renewable energy production in the region. EU Ambassador Sandra De Waele welcomed the development, describing it as a long-awaited achievement made possible through cooperation between the government, the European Union, and local institutions. UNICEF representatives highlighted the project's importance for public health, environmental protection, and the broader modernization of Lebanon's wastewater sector.