Abstract
The rapid deterioration of the water supply of the Gaza strip poses a difficult challenge for water planners and sustainable management of the coastal aquifer. The aquifer is currently overexploited, with total pumping exceeding total recharge. In addition, anthropogenic sources of pollution threaten the water supplies in major urban centres. Many water quality parameters presently exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water standards. The major documented water quality problems are elevated chloride (salinity) and nitrate concentrations in the aquifer. Up to 95 per cent of Gaza’s population source their drinking water from public or private producers, whose production and supply chain result in the potential contamination of up to 68% of drinking water supplies, exposing nearly 60% of the population to severe public health risks. Drinking water is being produced through 154 private and public desalination plants across the Gaza strip in addition to 10 MCM of drinking water received from Mekorot water company as a result of Oslo peace accord To tackle the water crisis and the rapid deterioration of water resources, the PWA and water council have developed a national and strategic water plan. It has been reviewed and updated recently, via a water study conducted by PWA. 1 The national plan includes integrated water solutions such as water desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, and storm water harvesting. This paper presents the details of the implementation of a medium scale brackish water desalination plant constructed in eastern Rafah – Gaza by Oxfam and its partner the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility to reduce the water stress in the Gaza strip and contribute to the provision of safe and clean drinking water.
Highlights
Introduction/Background Many countries around the world, especially developing countries and countries in the Middle East region and the Gaza strip in particular, suffer from a scarcity of fresh water
One of the most affected service sectors is water, where poor water quality and high levels of water demand are increasingly leading to water scarcity, as highlighted by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) (Water Resources Status Report, 2015)
The PWA/Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) indicates an increase of nitrate concentrations with high salinity levels of 2000–10000 mg/l, high chloride concentrations of 500–3000 mg/l, and nitrate concentration of 100–800 mg/l especially in the northern part of Gaza as alerted by PWA water quality map (2016)
Summary
Introduction/Background Many countries around the world, especially developing countries and countries in the Middle East region and the Gaza strip in particular, suffer from a scarcity of fresh water. The groundwater quality is deteriorating rapidly compared to WHO standards for drinking water (Figure 1) with the high salinity of chloride concentrations which should not exceed 500 mg/l. The PWA/CMWU indicates an increase of nitrate concentrations with high salinity levels of 2000–10000 mg/l, high chloride concentrations of 500–3000 mg/l, and nitrate concentration of 100–800 mg/l especially in the northern part of Gaza as alerted by PWA water quality map (2016). This is considered the maximum groundwater level declination in the Gaza strip. A desert area, it is bounded by the Negev Desert to the south east and the Sinai Desert to the south west
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