An urgent appeal from CMWU to facilitate the entry of lubricating oils and generator spare parts, warning of a complete collapse of water and sanitation services threatening 2.2 million people.
Urgent Appeal
Facilitating the Entry of Lubricating Oils, Spare Parts for Electric Generators, and Materials Needed for Water and Sanitation Services into the Gaza Strip
The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) issues this urgent appeal to the international community to intervene immediately to ensure the entry of lubricating oils, spare parts, and essential materials into the Gaza Strip. Since the complete power outage in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the entire water and wastewater supply infrastructure in Gaza has operated exclusively on diesel generators, and all water facilities, including water wells, desalination plants, sewage pumping stations, and water pressure-boosting stations operated by CMWU, have been forced to rely entirely on backup diesel generators, which have been and continue to be subjected to excessive use. These generators now face an imminent risk of catastrophic failure due to depleted lubricating oil and a shortage of maintenance supplies.
Without the immediate provision of these vital supplies through the border crossings, the remaining water and sanitation services that have not been destroyed will be severely affected, and will gradually shut down within a short period. The resulting halt in operations will immediately flood the streets with untreated sewage, cause the collapse of desalination systems, wells, and pumping stations, and lead to a mass outbreak of waterborne diseases, constituting a public health catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.
These generators have been operating beyond their specified operational limits without receiving routine maintenance cycles. While the international community has previously focused on importing fuel (diesel) to keep engines running, the mechanical safety of the generators themselves has been overlooked. The shortage of lubricating oil is the most critical factor in this equation. Operating generators without adequate lubrication causes immediate, irreversible damage to engine bearings, crankshafts, and cylinder liners, leading to complete engine failure.
If lubricating oils and spare parts are not allowed into Gaza immediately, the following scenarios will be inevitable:
Halt of water supply: The majority of groundwater wells, desalination plants, and water tanker transport operations will stop working due to generator failure. More than 2.2 million people will lose access to even a minimum level of drinking water.
Overflow of untreated sewage: Sewage pumping stations are the most vulnerable. Without hydraulic oils and generator spare parts, these stations will fail, causing untreated sewage to flood residential areas, streets, and displacement camps and shelters.
Public health risks: The lack of clean water and widespread sewage flooding will lead to an outbreak of acute watery diarrhea (AWD), cholera, hepatitis A, and antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly as the healthcare system, already devastated, is unable to manage such an epidemic.
It should be noted that the water and sanitation sector in Gaza stands on the brink of collapse, and the exhausting efforts of our engineers and technicians, who work in active conflict zones and under grave personal risk, are being undermined by the inability to obtain basic mechanical necessities: oils and spare parts.
We have reached the final stage before the complete and systemic collapse of water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
We urge you to act now. The window of opportunity to prevent a full-blown environmental and health catastrophe is closing. We stand ready to provide detailed lists of required materials, stock levels, and technical assessments to any organization willing to facilitate this urgent intervention.
