Cotton faces the danger of drought: a sharp decrease in water sources.

The city of Qatna is witnessing clear signs of a water crisis due to the decrease in the flow of springs and wells that supply the city with drinking water. The mayor of Qatna, Sulaiman Shahada, explained to the newspaper "Al-Watan" that the current population of the city is about 250,000 people, and their drinking water is supplied from three main sources: the Arna and Rakhla wells located in Mount Hermon, in addition to the Ras al-Nabaa wells within the city itself.

Shahada pointed out that the flow in these three sources has significantly decreased due to the low rainfall this year, in addition to the drought affecting most areas of the country, which signals a water crisis that may worsen during the summer months, especially with the scarcity of water resources and the long hours of electricity rationing that hinder regular pumping operations.

He added that approval has been obtained from the Ministry of Electricity to secure an exempted power line for specific hours for the village of Rakhla, in order to ensure the operation of water wells during those periods and guarantee the continuity of the pumping process.

Shahada also highlighted the positive role of expatriates from the city and the local community in supporting the water sector, as they have contributed to securing many necessary equipment for repair and maintenance operations, including water cables and valves, as well as participating in the pulling and maintenance of well pumps when they malfunction.