Water crisis in Hasakah, North and East Syria, keeps people in hospitals

HASAKAH, North and East Syria — Since October 2019, Turkish occupation forces and allied factions have controlled the Alouk Water Station in Rish Ayno (Ras al-Ayn) city, leading to repeated and prolonged disruptions in water supply to Hasakah, North and East Syria. By 2022, the main source of drinking water had completely dried up. In response, residents began digging shallow wells and relying on water trucks, but the water was neither clean nor safe for consumption. As a result, the city and its surrounding countryside have seen a surge in illness and poisoning cases. 

Growing Health Crisis

In June 2024 alone, around 1,200 cases of water-related poisoning were reported in Hasakah, with 75% affecting children under the age of five. These young patients suffered from severe diarrhea, vomiting, and acute intestinal infections. The numbers continue to climb, with hospitals recording more than 15 new cases of poisoning among children every day since the start of 2025.

Symptoms and Medical Concerns

Patients commonly present symptoms like high fever, nausea, vomiting, and severe diarrhea — often leading to dehydration and dangerous imbalances in electrolytes. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable. Summer months have seen a rise in more serious illnesses like typhoid and brucellosis.

Dr. Fidan, a general practitioner at Hasakah’s People’s Hospital, confirmed that cases of poisoning have significantly increased since early May, especially among children and the elderly. She noted that patients often suffer from bloody diarrhea and high fever, requiring close medical supervision for at least five days.

A nurse working in the emergency department explained that the chemicals being used to purify the water — particularly chlorine — are not compatible with human health, especially not for young children. This, he noted, has been a key factor in the growing number of poisoning cases.

Few Alternatives and Rising Costs

In 2023, the World Health Organization issued a warning about the growing reliance on unsafe water sources, particularly in displacement camps, noting that poor sanitation increases the risk of intestinal diseases. But with limited alternatives and soaring costs, families have little choice.

A mother caring for her ill child in the hospital shared, “We can no longer afford bottled water. With too few purification tanks available, we have no choice but to rely on water from the trucks. A single tank costs 30,000 Syrian pounds — it’s the most affordable option we have.”

Hasakah is in the grip of a severe water crisis that demands urgent intervention. Local and international authorities must pressure Ankara to safely restore operations at the Alouk Water Station. At the same time, there is an urgent need for stricter water quality monitoring in schools and hospitals, repairs to damaged infrastructure, and separating sewage lines from drinking water supplies to prevent the spread of disease.