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MIDEAST: Gaza's Water Supply Near Collapse
By Mel Frykberg
RAMALLAH, Sep 16, 2009 (IPS) - The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that Gaza's access to
safe supply of drinking water could cease at any time. The World Health
Organisation (WHO) says outbreaks of disease could be triggered as a
consequence.
The warnings follow a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report
Monday that "Gaza's underground water system is in danger of collapse after
recent conflict compounded by years of overuse and contamination."
"An outbreak of Hepatitis A and parasitic infections could occur at any time,"
Mahmoed Daher from WHO in Gaza told IPS. "Already the number of people,
especially children, suffering from diarrhoea has risen dramatically."
"We have noticed an increase in people suffering from kidney diseases from
water contaminated with toxins, as well as babies born with an unnatural blue
tinge," Munther Shoblak from Gaza's Coastal Municipalities Water Utility
(CMWU) told IPS.
The UNEP report focuses on a rise in saltwater intrusion from the sea caused
by over-extraction of ground water, and pollution from sewage and
agricultural run-off, with toxic levels high enough to put infants at risk of
nitrate poisoning.
Gaza's underground aquifer is the sole water source for its 1.5 million people.
Only 5-10 percent of the water now is fit for human consumption.
The average per capita daily consumption of water for personal and domestic
use in Gaza is 91 litres. WHO recommends 100-150 litres daily. Israelis
consume 280 litres per day.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported
last week that at least 10,000 Gazans remain without access to the water
network. Furthermore, access to water is limited on average to six to eight
hours from one to four days a week for the entire population.
"Approximately 150-160 million cubic metres (mcm) are extracted from
Gaza's underground aquifer annually. Due to a regional drought over the last
few years only about 65 mcm has flown back into the aquifer annually. This
leaves a shortfall of 100 mcm," says Shoblak.
Sewage-contaminated seawater and agricultural overflow contaminated with
toxins have been flowing into the aquifer's deficit. The CMWU is only able to
partially treat some of the 80 million litres of sewage pumped out to sea on a
daily basis due to a shortage of spare parts, fuel, and electricity cuts.
During Israel's bombardment of Gaza during the December-January war, the
strip's already degraded infrastructure was heavily targeted.
CMWU estimates that about six million dollars worth damage was caused to
major water and sanitation infrastructure during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's
codename for its war.
Over 30 kilometres of water networks were damaged or destroyed by the
Israeli military in addition to 11 wells operated by the water authorities in
Gaza. More than 6,000 roof tanks and 840 household connections were
damaged.
There is an urgent need for cement, pipes, pumps, transformers and
electrical spare parts to implement numerous projects in the water and
wastewater sector.
Some 1,250 tonnes of cement are currently needed for the repair of water
storage tanks alone. But Israel's blockade prevents cement from being
brought into Gaza.
Javier Cordoba, the ICRC water and habitation coordinator who is supervising
Red Cross reconstruction efforts in Gaza says the situation is very fragile. "A
lack of construction material and parts has led to a de-development of the
water infrastructure, which could collapse at any minute," Cordoba told IPS.
"The whole system is inter-connected," Cordoba says. "Water wells use
mechanical pumps to supply Gazan homes with water. The shortage of
mechanical pumps and other spare parts has reduced the number of wells
able to operate."
Electricity shortages force the wells to rely on back-up generators. Israel's
blockade not only limits electricity supplies but the supply of industrial fuel
too.
The ICRC has been working on ingenious methods to get around the
blockade to bring temporary relief to Gazans.
"We have managed to build a new, albeit primitive, wastewater plant in Rafah
in the south of Gaza. We used pieces of the wall which used to divide Gaza
from the Sinai peninsula, before the wall was blown up last year, for the basic
structure.
"We also succeeded in finding limited spare parts from Gaza to operate the
plant," said Cordoba. "But this is just an interim solution, and the well will
only last about five years. The more permanent and sophisticated wastewater
management plant in northern Gaza still requires imported parts from Israel."
Cordoba added: "In order to relieve the pressure on the aquifer we have been
digging a number of shallow wells. These again are only temporary and don't
supply much water like the deeper ones, but they allow the municipalities to
function again."
UNEP estimates that more than 1.5 billion dollars may be needed over 20
years to restore the aquifer back to health, including the establishment of
desalination plants to take pressure off the underground water supplies.
"The international community also has to fulfil its obligations in regard to
economic pledges and promises it made to establish desalination and
wastewater projects," Shoblak told IPS. "Political pressure needs to be applied
to Israel to allow for reconstruction and repairs."
The UNEP report warns: "Unless the degradation trend is reversed now,
damage could take centuries to reverse."
(END)
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