The Director-General: War losses to the water sector reached $34 million, and delay in removing rubble threatens the loss of 30% of water facilities and contamination of the groundwater aquifer.
Delay in Removing Rubble Threatens the Loss of 30% of Water Facilities and Contamination of the Groundwater Aquifer >>>>>> The War Cost the Water and Sanitation Sector Losses Estimated at $34 Million
Gaza / Safa Ashour
CMWU's Director-General Monther Shoblaq said that the delay in removing rubble threatens the loss of 30% of water facilities and contamination of the groundwater aquifer, pointing to the existence of three water desalination programs in Gaza. He added, to "Filastin," that the water and sanitation sector sustained losses estimated at $34 million and great destruction of wells, reservoirs, and sewage plants during the period of the last Israeli aggression. He pointed out that CMWU, in cooperation with the Palestinian Water Authority, worked with all available capabilities to ease the damage and prevent the complete collapse of water and sanitation facilities during the war period.
The War Cost the Water and Sanitation Sector Losses Estimated at $34 Million
He pointed out that the technical crews working in the various governorates worked in coordination with partners in the field and some donor institutions to implement numerous activities, with their total value reaching about $1.8 million. Shoblaq pointed out that the water sector's situation was not good before the war, and that a UN report mentioned that the water sector in 2016 would reach a catastrophic stage and become unfit for life if intervention did not occur and solutions to water problems were not found. He said: "The water sector sustained direct and indirect damage; the direct damage was estimated at $34 million, while the indirect damage cannot be assessed, as the water lines targeted during the war with toxic weapons caused environmental contamination of the groundwater aquifer that cannot be measured, and the environmental damage is very serious and cannot be predicted." Shoblaq added: "When the Israeli occupation targeted the streets, roads, and soil with weapons, and now the rain comes to wash them away into the groundwater aquifer, this causes damage that cannot be measured or known in terms of what will result from it over the coming years."
He continued: "The war increased our suffering due to the direct destruction of some water and sanitation facilities, as 11 water reservoirs were destroyed, and 26 water wells were completely or partially destroyed, and a central pumping station in Gaza and desalination plants were directly destroyed."
Postponed Projects
Shoblaq noted that the war disrupted programs to find and implement solutions to water problems in the Strip, especially since the Utility had put desalination projects under design and implementation, with work underway in some areas on designing these projects, but the war postponed completing the projects, which are no longer a priority compared to rebuilding what was destroyed. Shoblaq explained that targeting wells and reservoirs paralyzed the Utility's ability - until recently - to provide the service to residents regularly, causing people to suffer greatly due to the widening gap in the period of water reaching their homes. He pointed out that the Utility repaired the conveyance lines and reservoirs that were targeted in the areas it was able to reach, and the frequency of water reaching homes returned from one to three days, but the problem remained in the eastern areas, where the problem of water reaching all areas is still difficult. He added: "The sewage networks and wells in these areas have been repaired, but regarding the damage that requires construction materials and equipment, the delay in repairing it is due to the non-arrival of construction materials and to the fact that most of the damage, especially the wells, is located in places where the rubble is still present." Shoblaq stressed that the failure to remove the rubble and debris and the delay in doing so threatens the loss of 30% of the water facilities, and is considered one of the most important causes of groundwater aquifer contamination, as the rubble was targeted with toxic weapons and would be washed away by rainwater in the event of flooding, causing a crisis that would be difficult to control. He explained that the rainwater expected to fall heavily during the winter season, according to weather forecasts, would wash away the rubble and cement materials, which would cause the closure of rainwater drains and the blockage of their networks with rubble.
Emergency Plan
With the arrival of the winter season, Shoblaq explained that the Utility formed an emergency committee aiming for the winter season to pass without any damage, with the committee having carried out routine procedures before the rainy season of cleaning rainwater and sewage drains and preventive maintenance for sewage plants. He added: "We also formed teams given the responsibility and material capabilities to solve any problem they face, in addition to storing reasonable quantities of diesel, and strengthening the Utility's capabilities of mobile rainwater pumps, having purchased five additional pumps to bring its total to 13 pumps." Shoblaq affirmed that the Utility's readiness is better than before and has learned from the experiences of previous years, stressing that this readiness, had the Strip not gone through a war, would have become reasonable, but with the presence of rubble and destroyed homes, it will pose a major challenge for it and for the Civil Defense and municipalities' crews.
Water Desalination
Regarding water desalination projects in the Strip, Shoblaq mentioned that the delay in beginning desalination plant construction programs was caused by the war period and the period of imbalance following it, affirming that the Utility has returned to a state of balance and is back on track to implement desalination programs. He pointed out the existence of three water desalination programs: the first, in Gaza city, where the Utility is working to implement a seawater desalination plant for Gaza city, serving about half of the city's population, and work is underway on this project, awaiting the allocation of the land on which it will be built to complete the rest of the project's requirements. He continued: "The second project is in the southern area and work is underway on it in cooperation with UNICEF, and work is underway on these projects after a 3-month delay, and we are racing against time and hope these plants will be established before 2015." He continued: "The third plant has been completed and is located in the middle area, the Deir al-Balah and Al-Zawayda desalination plant, and the second expansion has been completed, and we are in the process of working to secure the requirements to reach the third phase of the expansion so the plant begins producing 5 thousand cubic meters of water." Shoblaq noted that the Deir al-Balah and Al-Zawayda plant does not need construction materials, as it was previously built to receive 5 thousand cubic meters, and what is required is purchasing and installing the equipment and completing the expansion. Shoblaq affirmed that the goal of the desalination projects is to provide an alternative source of high-quality water for citizens and ease the burden on the groundwater aquifer and rehabilitate it, as they aim to rely on a water source outside the groundwater aquifer and close the saline wells, which will help the groundwater aquifer regain its health. He stressed that the Gaza Water Supply Improvement Program is the last stop to save the water sector and must be adhered to and contributed to in its implementation, pointing out that UN and CMWU reports affirm that by 2016, if the program is not strengthened and implemented, the groundwater aquifer will reach a state of irreversible destruction.
Strong Support
Regarding the role of international institutions towards these projects, Shoblaq said that "the position of international institutions towards these projects in past years was unintentionally negative, as they provided funding but did not put enough pressure on the Israeli side to allow the entry of the necessary equipment." He added: "These institutions were content with CMWU's role in exercising coordination mechanisms with the Israeli side," pointing to achieving some successes based on the Utility implementing programs funded by donor institutions. He continued: "Today there is a trend among donor institutions, especially the Red Cross and UNICEF, to pressure 'Israel,' especially since the situation is difficult and dangerous, and if these projects are not implemented on time they will become useless." Shoblaq pointed out that the UN report issued on the reality of life in the Gaza Strip by 2020 perhaps has a very important role in mobilizing donor institutions and changing their way of dealing with the various sectors, especially the water sector. He noted that donor institutions are keen to provide funding and implement projects to reach the ultimate goal, which is preventing an environmental and water catastrophe from occurring in the Gaza Strip. He pointed out that the Utility is working in parallel on two programs: reconstructing what the occupation destroyed during the last war on Gaza, in parallel with completing the work of constructing 3 desalination plants and constructing two sewage treatment plants in the middle area and another in Khan Younis. He explained that if the programs set by donor institutions are adhered to, the sector's situation will become better, but with the electricity problem continuing, even if the projects are implemented without solving the electricity problem, we will be in an unenviable situation. He pointed out that there is awareness among international institutions that if the electricity problem continues, the sector is heading towards major paralysis, noting that there are promising programs to solve the electricity problem, with the most important element in implementing these programs remaining resolving the Palestinian-Palestinian dispute.
