CMWU celebrated, in the presence of a high-level German delegation, the opening of the central treatment plant east of Al-Bureij.
In the Presence and Under the Patronage of a High-Level German Delegation and Representatives of the Palestinian Water Authority
CMWU Celebrates the Opening of the Central Treatment Plant East of the Middle Governorate
Gaza - CMWU
With the participation of a high-level German delegation, CMWU opened the operations of the central treatment plant east of Al-Bureij in the middle of the Gaza Strip, in a ceremony held at the plant's site, attended and participated in by His Excellency Dr. Majed Awni Abu Ramadan, Chairman of CMWU's Board of Directors, CMWU's Executive Director Eng. Monther Shoblaq, Eng. Maher Al-Najjar, Director of KfW Projects Management, Eng. Omar Shatat, Deputy Executive Director for Operations and Maintenance, Mr. Mamdouh Al-Ghazali, Deputy Executive Director for Administrative and Financial Affairs, with the participation of Eng. Saadi Ali, Director-General of the Projects Unit, and Eng. Marwan Al-Bardawil, Director-General of the Projects Coordination Unit, representatives of the Palestinian Water Authority, and numerous representatives of local bodies and neighborhood committees in the area surrounding the treatment plant east of Al-Bureij.
The visiting German delegation included Mr. Jochen Flasbarth (Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), Ms. Katharina Viandin, assistant to Minister Flasbarth, Ms. Rachel Fols, Ms. Anne Sophie, Mr. Peter Wolfrum, and Ms. Anne Hetzgraeb from the German Representative Office in Ramallah, in addition to Mr. David Kunze, Director of the German Development Bank (KfW) in Palestine, and his deputy Mr. Widad Al-Hamdallah.
In his speech, Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan welcomed the attendees, praising the wonderful cooperation and true partnership with the German side, which resulted in completing this project, which comes at the forefront of strategic projects at the national level and relies on the latest technology in the treatment process, which is based primarily on providing electrical power from the biogas produced by the treatment process, in addition to the solar power generation unit present at the plant.
Dr. Majed Abu Ramadan also affirmed the importance of this project, which contributed to ending the environmental catastrophe in the Wadi Gaza area, as well as ending the problem of pollution of Gaza's shores from sewage water pollution, by receiving sewage water coming from all areas of Gaza and the middle governorates, treating it safely, and re-pumping it into the Wadi Gaza course. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the German people and government for their generous support in implementing this strategic project, which is considered the largest in Palestine, and also to the partners in implementing this vital and important project from KfW and the German Representative Office in Ramallah.
For his part, Mr. Jochen Flasbarth expressed his happiness at being in the Gaza Strip and participating in the opening ceremony of the treatment plant and completing this project, which is an important step towards rehabilitating water infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, affirming that the German government will continue to support all projects that would advance the water and sanitation sector in Palestine.
For his part, Eng. Saadi Ali - on behalf of His Excellency Minister Mazen Ghanem (Chairman of the Water Authority) - spoke about the importance of this project and its role in stopping the continuous pollution of the Gaza sea, which the residents of the Gaza Strip had long dreamed of, given that it is their only outlet.
He also noted that the completion of this project came with determination, resolve, and cooperation with official and international bodies, to reach this important and awaited moment, expressing his appreciation to the German government and the German Development Bank (KfW) for supporting this project, which serves the middle and Gaza governorates.
