Amid the struggle to preserve its identity and the destructive hands that are ravaging the old city of Sana'a, which withstands both environmental and human-induced calamities, neglect and ignorance of the value of this archaeological gem continue to grow, exacerbating its plight. As a result, efforts to restore and maintain these historic buildings remain feeble and insufficient to meet their urgent restoration needs.
Among the numerous and mounting challenges facing Old Sana'a, the issues of water leakage and sewage systems emerge as an escalating threat. This problem grows increasingly severe without adequate recognition of its dangers, necessitating awareness and immediate attention from both relevant authorities and citizens before the crisis deepens and becomes irreparable.
Restoring Foundations After Damage
After the outbreak of the war, and due to the accompanying severe crises in petroleum derivatives and the difficulty in securing them, the pressure of the water supply system enforced through pumping water to household tanks diminished. This situation compelled citizens to remove their water meters and subsequently dismantle the network of pipes used for water distribution, and filling from them, particularly from the main pipeline, as the water flows too rapidly.
This situation caused widespread water leakage throughout the alleys of Old Sana'a, with the consequences of the leakage worsening as it reached the foundations of homes and sidewalks. After more than five years of neglect, the relevant authorities, represented by the Ministry of Water, finally awakened to the issue and began to consider addressing the issue. However, by that time, the damage had already escalated significantly, with moisture causing substantial cracks in the city buildings’ foundations, posing a real threat with potentially catastrophic consequences if specialists fail to recognize its seriousness. "Khuyut" observes the expansion and spread of moisture resulting from the water leaks, mixing with sewage in various homes across the city.
“Moisture is one of the main threats to the foundations of homes, along with the high salinity caused by sewage inspection chambers and the water supply systems. A broken pipe, for instance, could leak beneath a house, leading to cracks and subsidence. Moreover, the traditional houses of Old Sana'a, built from mud-bricks, rest on foundations no deeper than a meter, lacking any reinforcement with iron or concrete, which makes them particularly vulnerable.”
In this regard, Mujahid Al-Haidari, Director of Projects at the General Authority for Historic Cities, explained in a statement to "Khuyut" that the infrastructure of Old Sana'a faces threats from poor sewage systems, water supply systems, roads, and sidewalks. All these factors significantly impact the foundations, despite the fact that studies and maintenance schedules are conducted periodically.
However, according to him, the damage to the infrastructure leads to its weakening and cracking, making buildings prone to collapse. He stressed the need for urgent attention from the relevant authorities, as the infrastructure has become extremely old and is unable to withstand the pressures of the growing population. This situation leads to explosions and leaks. Therefore, the problem must be addressed before it worsens. He also expressed his readiness to cooperate with other entities to protect and save the city.
Mud-Bricks and the Threat of Salinity
The Old Sana'a Water Project is distributed periodically and continuously across the city's neighborhoods, yet it suffers from poor and disorganized planning aimed at ensuring water reaches the rooftops of homes. In a statement to "Khuyut," Saddam Ahmed, an employee at the General Authority for Historic Cities, explained that residents are responding to this situation negatively. Many have resorted to opening the main pipes in front of their homes, allowing water to flow into the streets and accumulate beneath the foundations of their houses, thereby exacerbating the deterioration of the overall infrastructure.
He adds that this situation negatively impacts the underground sewage and water networks, leading to rust due to moisture. It also causes severe damage to the foundations of homes, significantly affecting structures, whether they are made of stone, bricks, or mud (earthen stones). Subsequently, this moisture results in the erosion and fragmentation of stones within the walls over time.
Likewise, these behaviors also lead to the gradual erosion and collapse of these foundations over time, resulting in severe subsidence of homes that manifests as cracks in the walls, which can extend throughout all floors. In some cases, buildings may face the risk of complete collapse. Additionally, the volume of water leaking during manual filling by residents through plastic pipes or using a dynamo (suction pump) exacerbates these issues.
Saddam emphasized that it is not possible to determine the exact number of neighborhoods experiencing water leakage, as all the city's neighborhoods suffer from this issue due to the random opening of water supply pipes and the uncontrolled filling, as evidenced by moisture marks on the lower walls of houses.
Furthermore, the poor planning of water distribution and the way residents handle and interact with it have caused damage to homes and their foundations. This issue persists, leading to harmful consequences that require comprehensive and thorough resolution. Saddam pointed out that the recent subsidence in the "Dawood" neighborhood has been filled, attributing it primarily to water leakage, in addition to flash floods.
In an interview with "Khuyut," engineering expert Faisal Mohammed points out that moisture remains one of the main threats to the foundations of homes, along with the high salinity caused by sewage inspection chambers and the water supply systems. A broken pipe, for instance, could leak beneath a house, leading to cracks and subsidence. Moreover, the traditional houses of Old Sana'a, built from mud-bricks, rest on foundations no deeper than a meter, lacking any reinforcement with iron or concrete, which makes them particularly vulnerable.
For her part, Najlaa Al-Hakeemi, Director of Handicrafts at the General Authority for Historic Cities, explained to "Khuyut" the method of water distribution and filling when the project is opened to residents, which causes Old Sana'a to become soaked—its streets, alleys, and even markets. Moisture is noticeable around the gardens and buildings, sometimes reaching halfway up the first floor and, in some cases, even higher. As a result, according to her, the stones in the buildings begin to erode and crumble, with salt deposits appearing on them, exacerbated by the deterioration and collapse of the sewage system.
Plastering Houses and Filling Gaps
In this context, Amjad Abdulmugni, a restoration specialist in the Archaeology Department at Sana'a University, explained to "Khuyut" that the damage caused by the water supply project and leaks, which are deteriorating the foundations, is due to moisture, air pollution, and the vibrations from vehicles and transportation within the historic city. Moisture enters through heavy rains, the randomness of the water and sewage projects, or unintended human damage, such as the illegal removal of water meters and filling water behind the meters. This leads to water seeping into the foundations, with the stones absorbing moisture through osmosis from the first to the second layer, reaching the interior of the structures during periods of water saturation. During dry periods, the water is drawn out along with the minerals in the stones or the building's mortar, resulting in voids, deterioration, and fragility. Additionally, efflorescence and scaling occur due to salt deposits, all of which are consequences of the primary factor: moisture.
“The upcoming phase involves rehabilitating the sewage network, which is one of the most crucial projects that can be implemented. It serves as the essential lifeline for the city and its infrastructure, both modern and historic buildings. Sewage leaks spread like cancer within the body, making them difficult to address, as moisture can remain latent for several years, even after repairs are made. This lingering moisture has a lasting impact, including adverse health effects on the residents in general.”
Abdulmugni points out the damage caused by moisture from sewage, which further deteriorates the foundations due to the aging infrastructure of the buildings. In addition, residents covering the stones with cement prevents the stones from "breathing," acting like "acid" on a piece of iron that leads to the erosion of the stones as soon as the cement layer is removed.
He also touches on the practice of takiheel (a plastering method used to protect houses from water by reinforcing their walls and foundations). This involves filling the gaps between the stones, about 10 centimeters wide, with a mixture of fine beach sand and white cement in specific quantities mixed with water. However, this method is flawed and leads to the erosion of the stones after just one or two years. Moreover, water leaks from the water supply systems further destabilize and increase moisture in the foundations of buildings and sidewalks as it flows through the neighborhoods and streets, only stopping at the sa’ilah (the main drainage channel in Sana’a City).
Rehabilitating Water and Sewage Networks
Al-Haidari also emphasized that there has been no prior coordination between government agencies for any repair projects within the city. However, in the past, a directive was issued to all governmental and private institutions requiring coordination for any project carried out within the city, with the Authority being the primary entity responsible for supervision and follow-up. This includes the current phased project of rehabilitating and developing the water network, which is being coordinated officially with the General Authority for Historic Cities. He notes that this is an important step, as the city requires special attention due to the proximity of the network to its foundations and the narrowness of its streets and entrances.
He further added that the upcoming phase involves rehabilitating the sewage network, which is one of the most crucial projects that can be implemented. It serves as a backbone and essential lifeline for the city and its infrastructure, both modern and historic. Sewage leaks spread like cancer within the body, making them difficult to address, as moisture can remain latent for several years, even after repairs are made. This lingering moisture has a lasting impact, including adverse health effects on the residents in general.
Regarding the water supply and sewage networks and their impacts on building restorations in terms of deterioration and cracking, Al-Haidari states: "We have correspondence and communications with the responsible entity, the Local Corporation for Water Supply and Sanitation, as it is the body responsible for conducting studies and also works in collaboration with another specialized authorities to develop and implement a specific mechanism."
