Mustafa: Water is a national right we endeavor to provide from a sovereign aspect, and offer the best service to citizens.
He emphasized the importance of developing the water sector and implementing required reforms to serve the interest of our country and people.
Efforts are exerted to increase the amount of water available from local sources and purchased supplies through developing new wells and rehabilitating the existing ones in the West Bank.
Taking measures to stop infringements causing the wastage and draining of public money
Ramallah: His Excellency Prime Minister, Mr. Mohammad Mustafa emphasized that: “Water is a national right we endeavor to provide from a sovereign aspect through ending the occupation’s control over our water resources on one hand, and offering the best service to our citizens and other uses in relation to the national development, on the other hand”.
This came in the context of his meeting with Minister and Head of Water Authority, Dr. Ziyad al-Mimi and his staff to follow up on the work progress of implementing the initiative to improve the institutional and legislative system, and enhance the level of basic services for water and sanitation in Palestine, in the presence of a number of Ministers and parties relevant.
He stressed the importance of developing the water sector and implementing the required reforms to serve the interest of our country and people. President ‘Abbas is closely following up on the work progress of developing the sector due to its direct impact on financial deductions from clearance money, with the aim of increasing the provision of water for citizens, while exerting more efforts to stop wasting and draining public money.
Water Authority staff gave a presentation on the key interventions and strategic projects. These are considered the work priorities for the Palestinian Water Authority for the years 2026-2027 based on an initiative which consists of five components. These aim at enhancing the resilience of the Palestinian people, in terms of financial stability for the water sector institutions. This includes reducing Israel’s deductions from the clearance money in exchange for treatment of transboundary wastewater to Israel, implementing reform agenda and improving the institutions performance. Furthermore, the initiatives focus on developing the services provided to citizens through developing the sources and infrastructure, especially for communities not served with systems or those who need reliable water sources.
The first component focuses on sustainable development for water sources through increasing the amount of water available from local and purchased sources, such as installing new wells and rehabilitating West bank wells, developing the infrastructure to implement Beitlehem, al-‘Izariyeh transmission lines, and Beit-iksa pumping station project,
As for the second component, it aims at improving the quality and reliability of water supply services, guaranteeing equity in distribution, and improving the efficiency of distribution lines through completing the rehabilitation of an internal water network for Yatta city ( Second phase), bulk water supply points and connection points projects (Ramallah), and bulk water supply and connection points project (Jenin).
The third component consisted of improving the sanitation infrastructure and services, wastewater management and treatment, and increasing the use of treated water in various domains through the completion of wastewater management program in Hebron, wastewater project in north east Ramallah, wastewater project in Dura, wastewater project in Tulkarem and producing renewable energy, wastewater project in ‘Ein Jaryout, development project for al-Bireh wastewater treatment, and transferring the treated water to al-O’ja for reuse in agriculture and power generation.
As for the fourth component, it aims at creating an efficient environment to reduce the financial burdens borne by the government in supporting water and sanitation sector. This is achieved through restructuring the various water sector institutions in alignment with the new Palestinian Water Law, activating the National Water Company, establishing utility for east of Jenin and Yatta water utility, preparing a draft for the partnership system with the private sector, and preparing a draft performance incentive system based for water service providers.
The Fifth component consists of improving the efficiency and governance of water sector, by increasing the number of water service providers with prepaid system, improving the efficiency of debts collection, decreasing encroachments and losses rate, and implementing many other reforms.
On his part, Minster Ziyad al-Mimi emphasized that this initiative depends on several issues including the development of water sources in Palestine. This is done through digging new wells in areas suffering of water scarcity, such as preparing Janzour well, preparing Bir Samou’, in addition to increasing the amount of water through establishing new water networks, reducing losses, and preventing infringements in Jenin and Hebron governorates. These measures will increase the amount of water available for citizens, and address pollution through establishing wastewater treatment plants.