Repercussions of the current Israeli aggression on the sanitation sector

The sanitation sector services was  well -developed before the aggression: The existing sanitation system comprises of integrated facilities and infrastructure (From collection and pumping to conveyance and treatment). The system covers nearly73% of the population of Gaza Strip, with an infrastructure which included a network of various pipe diameters totaling about 2,250 km, 79 pumping stations, and 29 storm water collection basins. These are connected to eight storm water pumping stations comprising of a pumping station for rainwater, in addition to five wastewater treatment plants with a designing capacity of 154,600 m³ on a daily basis. Before the aggression, and since the operation of the wastewater treatment plants in the north of Gaza, 27,000-36,500 m³ were infiltrated of treated wastewater to the coastal ground water aquifer for reuse in irrigation. It was also planned to reuse the treated wastewater from the wastewater treatment plant in Khan Yunis to irrigate nearly 300 Dunums in the southern Gaza area. Due to the shutdown of the treatment plants, in addition to the destruction sustained by the recovery and irrigation, all of these quantities became unavailable.

The interruption of electricity supplies, and the restrictions imposed on access to fuel to Gaza Strip due to the current  Israeli aggression had severe negative impacts on the capacity of operating the wastewater facilities:

• All the five wastewater treatment plants (The three central plants, in addition to Sheikh ‘Ijleen and Rafah plants) ceased operations with the Breij and Khan Yunis sustaining heavy losses. It is hard to evaluate the damage to other plants due to limited access. 
• Wastewater plants were severely damaged as 1545 km were destructed completely and 8.6 km partially. This destruction led to discharge of wastewater in the streets and residential neighborhoods posing a big threat to the environment and health.
• A total of 47 wastewater pumping stations were destroyed, 20 of which were fully destroyed and 27 partially. This destruction along with the difficulty of supplying fuel required to operate the pumps that were not destroyed, affected the sector’s capacity to treat wastewater, and prevent the leakage in residential areas as it increased the risk of spreading epidemics and diseases.