Introduction:
According to a report by the UNHCR, about 90% of the groundwater in Gaza is unacceptable for drinking as a result of contamination by nitrate and chloride. While ground water is the only dependable and regular source of water in the Gaza Strip. It is a source for drinking, domestic, agricultural and industrial supplies. Families have virtually no access to drinking water: humanitarian access has been severely restricted, water infrastructure has been destroyed and systems are in need of repairs, and stagnant, standing water fills the streets. According to the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) – the water and wastewater service provider for the Gaza Strip – some 500,000 people are without access to running water at all, another 500,000 residents are limited to 4-6 hours of running water every 5-7 days, and the remaining population receives 4-6 hours of water every 2-3 days.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip would generally get water supply for their families from desalination plants around Gaza, however the capacity of water processed daily does not meet the needs and demand of the people considering the population density.
For these reasons, PGPF acted on the urgent need to establish a desalination plant in the Gaza Strip. The project is primarily an endowment, therefore any returns from the plant will be used to cover operation expenses. The income from operating the desalination plants are also used to invest in other projects that benefit the people in Gaza, especially those affected by the Israeli siege.
Al Rewaa Desalination Plant
(Completed 19 May 2013)
In an effort to assist the Gaza Strip, PGPF donated a water treatment plant in the Al Rewaa district of Palestine to aid in overcoming shortage of clean water supply. Initial contribution to the project amounted to USD120,000.00. The water treatment facility is now functional and able to provide a total of 10,000 litres of water per day before upgrading of systems.
On 23 May 2014, Tan Sri Norian Mai, chairman of PGPF handed over USD32,000 to Dr Omer Abdallah of the Charitable Association for Palestinian Relief (CAPR) to upgrade the water treatment unit. Today, the facility is able to provide 150,000 litres of clean and drinkable water per day. Gaza suffers from lack of clean water for daily consumption due to destruction of infrastructures brought forth by Israeli aggression. Indiscriminate devastation due to the recent Operation Protective Edge by Israel has worsened the situation but miraculously the water treatment facility survived the latest attempt for genocide on Gaza.
In the month of Ramadhan, CAPR organises distribution of water for free sourced from PGPF’s Al Rewaa Desalination plant located in Gaza. The programme usually runs for a week with an estimated distribution of 210,000 litres to Al Shifa’a Hospital, Abdul Aziz Al Rantisi Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital, Sobha Clinic, Sourani Clinic, needy families, 3 mosques and Waqaf water tanks. PGPF and CAPR collaboration for free distribution has been ongoing every Ramadhan since 2012.
Al Zahraa Desalination Plant
(Completed 28 March 2018)
Al Zahraa Desalination Plant is a similar project in collaboration with CAPR near Rafah, Gaza. The Plant is also designed with the capacity to produce 150,000 litres of clean drinking water daily. This effort also seeks to address some of the issues regarding polluted sources including Gaza’s aquifers which restricts access to consumable water.
Desalination Plant and Well Specifications:
Estimated sales monthly:
50% of water distribution is for free and the other half is sold to cover expenses.
Therefore, monthly, 50% produced water sold = 562.5 cubic meters x $5 = $2812.5
Donation hand over at PGPF
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