Government Call Center: Urgent Response in the Water Sector in Gaza and Strategic Projects in the West Bank

SadaNews - The Palestinian Water Authority faced unprecedented challenges during the first year of the government of Mohamed Mustafa, due to the ongoing Israeli aggression, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and the repeated damage to infrastructure in northern West Bank.

According to a report issued by the Government Call Center, the authority implemented a series of vital interventions that contributed to stabilizing the water sector, improving services, reducing debts, and enhancing infrastructure.

Gaza: Emergency Interventions in the Face of Humanitarian Disaster

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Gaza in October 2023, the sector has faced a severe crisis in water and sanitation. In this context, the Water Authority implemented urgent interventions, including:

Reactivating three main water connections from the Israeli side (Mekorot): Al-Muntar, Bani Sa'id, and Bani Suheila, which allowed for pumping 46,000 m³ daily.

Operating several damaged wells after providing fuel, raising the production capacity to 93,000 m³ daily, compared to 14,000 m³ previously.

Activating desalination plants in the middle and southern governorates and connecting the southern station to electricity, raising the production of desalinated water to 18,000 m³ daily.

Entering over 523,000 liters of fuel to operate water and sanitation facilities.

Preparing 13 mobile desalination stations to serve the displaced, distributing hygiene kits, and creating special filling connections for tanks in the shelters.

West Bank: Rehabilitation and Service Expansion

In Jenin and Tulkarem, the authority implemented urgent infrastructure repairs after sustaining significant damage due to military incursions, which included:

Repairing damages exceeding 3 million dollars in the Jenin and Tulkarem camps.

Providing municipalities with maintenance supplies such as pipes, manholes, and urgent needs.

Contracting local contractors to maintain water lines.

Coordinating with international organizations to provide tanks and water reserves as temporary solutions.

Debt Collection: Improving Financial Performance and Enhancing Sustainability

The authority has taken steps to enhance revenue collection in cooperation with the Ministries of Local Government and Finance, successfully collecting:

153.6 million shekels of debts, including: 54 million shekels through the offset mechanism; 62 million shekels in cash; 37 million shekels via checks; signing debt restructuring agreements with several local agencies; completing prepaid meter projects to ensure efficient usage and collection.

Strategic Infrastructure Projects: Towards Service Sustainability

In addition to emergency response, the authority has implemented a set of vital projects to improve infrastructure and expand service coverage, including:

A bulk water connection project for villages west of Ramallah, serving 80,000 citizens.

A project to supply water to the northern and eastern Jenin, serving more than 120,000 citizens, funded by the World Bank and the German Development Bank.

Operating the Hebron wastewater treatment plant to produce 22,500 m³ daily and saving 80 million shekels that Israel used to deduct annually.

A sewage project in northeast Ramallah serving 50,000 citizens in 14 communities.

Network improvement projects and water tanks in towns like Jaba (Jenin), Al-Thahria, Al-Aar, and Baqa'a Al-Sharqiya, totaling 3.8 million dollars, serving over 54,000 citizens.

These achievements, according to the report, come as part of the government’s vision to enhance citizens’ resilience, develop infrastructure, and provide safe and fair water and sanitation services across all governorates.