Unsanitary solid waste dumping site in Gaza Strip

It is noteworthy that the crisis of solid waste is a global crisis, it is not confined to a particular country without the other, but belong to all countries.

For decades, Palestinian territories have serious violations of the environment, mainly because of closure of the main roads, cut off fuel supply needed to transport solid waste, and unsanitary sites for solid waste dumping at emergency time.

At the level of the Gaza Strip. The final disposal of solid waste are done by unhealthy ways, that can cause negative effects on the environment and public health. Prompting residents to lodge complaints on the municipalities, on a the accumulate waste in residential areas, especially rural ones, to several factors including: lack of funding in the municipal services, hygiene, lack of information on adverse effects of open dumps, lack of appropriate technology for the disposal of waste.

These are some photos taken in Beit Lahia dumping site. You will see the blatant encroachment on the environment without taking any of the necessary precautions when burning solid waste.

Gaza Aquifer Net Balance 2011

 

Gaza Coastal Aquifer is essentially the only source of fresh water in the Gaza Strip that has been continuously over-pumped to serve the high population resulting in falling water levels and degrading water quality. The Gaza coastal aquifer is a dynamic system, with continuously changing inflows and outflows. The present net aquifer balance in the Gaza Strip is negative; that is, there is a water deficit as illustrated below.

        The total estimated inflow to Gaza aquifer of 96 – 101 MCM per year is composed of:

·            Recharge from precipitation 40-45 MCM per year.

·            Return flows from leakages 16 MCM per year.

·            Return flows from irrigation 20 MCM per year.

·            Lateral inflow from Egypt and Israel 15 MCM per year.

·            Intrusion from sea water 5MCM/year.

        The total estimated abstraction from Gaza aquifer of 171 MCM per year is composed of :

·            Municipal abstraction 89 MCM per year.

·            Agricultural abstraction 82 MCM per year.

This net deficit has led to a lowering of the water table in the past 30-40 years, inland migration of seawater and deterioration of water quality. If uncontrolled pumping is allowed to continue the aquifer, which is the primary source for the Gaza Strip, will become unusable as a source of fresh municipal water.

So Gaza Strip is undergoing a humanitarian crisis which is violations of the human right to water that have been caused or exacerbated by the sanctions and blockade. It is in critical situation that requires immediate efforts to improve the water situation in terms of quality and quantity and a serious water management strategy.

Gaza Strip Water Resource

 

Gaza Strip, a very small area of land with 367 km², is situated in the southern part of the coastal plain. The coastal aquifer of the Gaza Strip is part of a regional groundwater system that stretches from the coastal areas of the Sinai (Egypt) in the south to Haifa (Israel) in the north. It is generally 10-15 km wide, and its thickness ranges from 0 m in the east to about 200 m at the coastline.  

 Water is the most precious and valuable natural resource in theGaza Strip particularly because it is the sole source of fresh water. Gaza Strip is in critical situation that requires immediate efforts to improve the water situation in terms of quality and quantity.

Gaza Coastal Aquifer