Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Response
- Between 19 August and 1 September, the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility/Palestinian Water Authority (CMWU/PWA) reported that the average water supply for safe drinking and domestic purposes was approximately 114,901 cubic metres per day across the Gaza Strip, or just over a quarter of water supply provided prior to October 2023. This includes 69,000 cubic metres of water produced by water wells (municipal, UNRWA, private).
- During the reporting period, WASH Cluster partners received about 18,500 litres of fuel per day, which represents only 26 per cent of the minimum daily threshold of 70,000 litres required to meet critical needs and ensure the public health objectives of the WASH sector.
- In northern Gaza, the CMWU received 12,000 litres of sodium hypochlorite solution (chlorine bleach), which are essential for water disinfection. The solution has been distributed to water production facilities across the region: 6,000 litres to Gaza city, 4,000 litres to Jabalya, and 2,000 litres to Beit Lahia.
- Additionally, the Municipality of Khan Younis, in collaboration with the CMWU, has conducted emergency repairs to the main water transmission line running from Israel to Khan Younis, which was damaged during recent military operations. This has restored water access to several areas, including Al Mawasi, where hundreds of thousands of IDPs are living under challenging conditions.
- In Deir al Balah, four out of the eight previously inaccessible water wells have been rehabilitated using materials and supplies salvaged from another four water wells destroyed in the area.
Challenges
- WASH partners have been facing nearly impossible working conditions due to repeated evacuation orders issued by Israeli forces. These orders have led to the loss of access to warehouses and offices, staff evacuations, the relocation of programmatic activities, and weakened community connections and engagement.
- Transportation of essential items to northern Gaza are being repeatedly rejected by the Israeli authorities. These materials are essential to mitigate flooding in already flooded stormwater basins in the north.
- Fuel accessibility issues are also severely impacting operations. Fuel stations required for solid waste management are inaccessible, as are previously deconflicted temporary solid waste dumping sites. Additionally, there is a significant shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for solid waste collection workers.
- The flow of water from the main transmission line running from Israel remains at 80 per cent of capacity, with several critical water facilities lost in the past few weeks. Repair operations are urgently required to return to full capacity as soon as possible.