CMWU warned of the repercussions of the electricity and Mekorot cutoff on the water sector, calling for urgent intervention to prevent a health and environmental disaster.
CMWU Warns of the Repercussions of the Israeli War on the Water and Sanitation Sector
Gaza – CMWU
CMWU warned of the repercussions of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which has affected all aspects of life and sectors, including the water and sanitation sector. From the very first moment of the war, the Israeli occupation announced the disconnection of the Israeli power lines feeding the Gaza Strip, which represent 80% of the Strip's electricity supply, in addition to halting the supply of "Mekorot" water coming into the Gaza Strip, which represents about 30% of the residents' water supply, leading to a significant shortage in water supplies in wide areas of the Gaza Strip.
The worsening electricity crisis also affected the operation and functioning of all water and sanitation facilities, particularly sewage pumping stations, water wells, treatment plants, and seawater desalination plants, amid the unavailability of sufficient quantities of fuel needed to operate backup electric generators at water and sanitation facilities during the power outage, and amid expectations that the fuel needed to operate the Gaza Strip's sole power generation plant would not be allowed to enter.
The prolonged power outages and the halt of internet service also negatively affected remote control systems, particularly at strategic facilities such as seawater desalination plants, leading to a halt in their production, as well as the halt of wastewater treatment plants located on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, which led to diverting a large portion of untreated wastewater to the sea via coastal pumping stations and emergency lines toward the sea.
The Israeli occupation's targeting of public streets and intersections led to massive destruction of infrastructure, and many water and sewage transmission lines were severely damaged, leading to sewage overflow and the halt of water service in some areas. The exposure of many facilities to damage as a result of Israeli bombardment nearby also increased the severity of the crisis.
The continuation of this situation will lead to significant repercussions directly affecting residents' lives, and will also lead to a significant decline in the basic services provided to residents, seriously affecting public health, such as the prolonged interruption of water to many areas, in addition to a decline in the capabilities of CMWU and the municipalities to collect, pump, and treat wastewater, which warns of a possible health and environmental disaster due to sewage overflow, particularly in geographically low-lying areas.
CMWU also emphasizes the need to combine all efforts by national and international organizations, to intervene urgently to prevent the complete collapse of water and sanitation services in the Gaza Strip, given the environmental and health disasters they would cause if the situation worsens.
CMWU also appeals to all international humanitarian and relief organizations and UN agencies to intervene urgently to provide appropriate quantities of fuel and spare parts for backup electric generators, to ease the electricity outage crisis in the Gaza Strip and enable the Utility and municipalities to continue operating their vital facilities and providing their services to residents, supplying them with the necessary quantities of water for all aspects of life, and preventing an imminent health, environmental, and humanitarian disaster.
