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Doubling of the Mekorot Water Supply to Gaza Strip Putting the Statement into Perspective Version 4 24 June 2015 Israel announced on 4 March 2015 that it would double the amount of water supplied into the Gaza Strip through Israel, which would amount to an publicised increase from five to ten million cubic meters (MCM) per year.1 Attracting wide media attention the announcement came a few months after the 2014 summer escalation of hostilities and against the backdrop of a continuously deteriorating water crisis in the Gaza Strip.

This document aims to gather information and put disseminated information into perspective. It is intended to provide interested parties and individuals with information based on technical evidence.

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The previously committed amount of 5 MCM/year of Mekorot water equals 2.5 per cent of the 200 MCM/year total water need of the Gaza population. If Israel doubles the amount, coverage increases from 2.5 per cent to 5 per cent. Mekorot water meets for only part of the water needs in Gaza.

Lack of available water resources has resulted in the fact that 96 per cent of available water from the aquifer is not potable. The Gaza Strip water sector strategy outlines the combined solutions required, including the repair of water networks leaks, seawater desalination, collection and re-infiltration of rainwater, wastewater treatment re-infiltration and re-use and the import of Mekorot water. All elements of the strategy need financial and political support.

The 2014 summer escalation of hostilities resulted in the total destruction of the Al-Muntar reservoir (Gaza City). The reservoir is a key component of the water network and is supposed to receive the additional Mekorot water. It is needed for storage, pressure regulation and water blending. International law guarantees the protection of water infrastructure during conflict.

Introduction of new Mekorot water through the

Key Facts

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According to the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) in Gaza, about 98 per cent of water consumed by Gazas population of 1.8 million is supplied through abstraction from the Coastal Aquifer (200 MCM per year).3 With an average annual recharge of 55 MCM, the abstraction levels from the aquifer are four times the recharge capacity, resulting in seawater intrusion and increased groundwater salinity. It is estimated that 96% of Gazas water supply is contaminated with unacceptable high levels of nitrate (NO3) and chloride (CI), posing significant health risks.4&5 The UN report "Gaza in 2020: a livable

Background

Water in the Oslo Accords II 1995 Protocol Concerning Civil Affairs (Annex 3) Article 40 All water and sewage [] systems and resources in the Gaza Strip shall be operated, managed and developed (including drilling) [], in a manner that shall prevent any harm to the water resources.

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Nahal Oz pipeline directly to the Gaza City network meets 10 per cent of the citys needs and has allowed the most saline ground water wells to be taken offline. However, the absence of a functioning reservoir limits network control and therefore the amount of water that can be received. Despite current water network limitations of Nahal Oz, Mekorot water should continue to be received.

Mekorot water costs the Palestinian Authority (PA) 2.6 to 3.44 NIS per cm, deducted at source from the PAs tax revenues collected by Israel on its behalf. Gazas economy needs to be improved to allow the population to pay for water import.

Only 4 per cent of available groundwater in Gaza is still potable; the rest must be treated to reduce salinity before drinking.2 Mekorot water complies with World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water standards and its importance therefore lies not only in its quantity but its quality. It can be blended 50/50 with groundwater and still be potable, thereby increasing the available potable water. The reconstruction of the Al Muntar reservoir is however instrumental to the blending process.

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place?" states that the aquifer could become unusable as early as 2016, with the damage irreversible by 2020.6 The Gaza water sector strategy includes the supply of Mekorot water as one of several

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A Mekorot water line that was established in the 1970s between Israel and the Gaza Strip has been supplying 4 MCM of the existing 5 MCM.7 A charge of 2.6 NIS per CM is taken from PA tax revenue for the supply of this water. The pipeline enters Gaza to the east of Khan Younis, Khan Younis Governorate, and then splits to feed reservoirs in Bani Suheila and Beit Said. At these reservoirs Mekorot water is mixed with salty well water and then distributed as potable water. From Bani Suheila the potable water is distributed to the eastern villages of the Khan Younis governorate. From Beit Said the water is distributed to Al Maghazi, Al Bureij, Al Zawayda and Al Nuseirat.

Khan Yunis and Middle Area Mekorot Supply before 2014 Summer Hostilities

Planned Gaza City Mekorot Supply

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Since 1995, it was foreseen that a second Mekorot line would be created to deliver water into Gaza City. However several constraints delayed this new water supply, the construction of the line, construction of the Al Muntar reservoir and the supply of the water itself. Similar to the Southern line, the design of the second, so-called Nahal Oz pipeline (named after the nearby Israeli community of Nahal Oz) aimed to mix Mekorot water with water from groundwater wells in the Al Muntar reservoir, in the eastern part of Al-Shujaiyya. The mixed potable water would be supplied to the east and south/eastern areas of Gaza City. The PWA started construction works on the Nahal Oz pipeline in 2002 on the Palestinian side.7 In 2005, the pipeline was almost completed barring a Destroyed Al Muntar Reservoir, taken 1 September 2014

Fig. 1. Chloride values for Gaza Strip wells 2012 Fig. 2. Nitrate values for Gaza Strip wells 2012

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components for addressing this. Other components include creation of seawater desalination plants, increased collection and re-infiltration of storm water into the aquifer (currently 30-40 per cent) and the re-use of treated wastewater to decrease the abstraction of groundwater for agricultural purposes.

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The supply of Mekorot water to Gaza was included in Article 40 of Oslo Accords II (1995). Mekorot water supply of 5 MCM resembles 2.5 pe rcent of the total water requirements (5 MCM/200 MCM total = 2.5 per cent), doubling the amount would resemble a total of 5 per cent.

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Blending of Mekorot and Well Water Both sources are free of microbial hazards and can be mixed as follows: 50 per cent Mekorot water 200 TDS and zero Nitrates + 50 per cent Gaza groundwater wells 700-1000 chloride and 50-200 Nitrates

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Current Status

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The Municipality of Gaza (MoG) is working in close cooperation with PWA and CMWU to manage the Mekorot water through the Nahal Oz pipeline. Since the water has been flowing directly into the Gaza City network a period of trail and error has been undertaken to control the flow to certain parts of the city. With network damages, limited control valves and monitoring ability of the flow within the city, the MoG have been able to stabilise the current incoming Nahal Oz flow rate of 800m3/hr for an average of 12hr/day (equivalent to 3.5MCM/yr). This limit has been imposed to protect the network, as currently the MoG have no ability to control the incoming water pressure (4bar). The incoming water has been channelled through the more robust main lines (see diagram), further testing of flow to smaller sub-lines is on-going. The volume of Mekorot water is 10 per cent of Gaza Citys daily need and has allowed the MoG to take some of the most saline ground water wells (>1200 chloride) offline. This both reduces the overall salinity of the network water and reduces the ground water extraction, resting the aquifer. However control of online blending has not been possible due to the differential pressures in pipelines. Network water is therefore still not suitable for drinking.

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The conflict damage and age of the Gaza City network continues to cause issues regardless of the lack of Al Muntar reservoir. A comprehensive study of the network is required to map the current network and analyse the upgrading needs for both the Mekorot water and future seawater desalination. Plans are in place for further trial and error testing to allow for an increase of the Nahal Oz flow rate and pumping hours to meet the higher summer water demand.

References

1 Haaretz: Israel to double amount of water supplied to Gaza. March 4, 2014. Available online at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.645351 2 The majority of the population receives drinking water from an unregulated private sector. 3 Palestinian Water Authority. Gaza Strip: Desalination Facility Project: Necessity, Politics and Energy. March 2015. Page 1. 4 Palestinian Water Authority. Gaza Strip: Water Crisis Deepens: Without Sustainable Solutions, Future at Stake. March 2015. Page 2. 5 The drinking water standard for Cl in mg/l is 250 mg/l and Nitrate 50mg/l. 6 United Nations. Gaza in 2020: a Livable Place? August 2012. Page 11. Available online at: http://www.unrwa.org/userfiles/file/publications/gaza/Gaza%20in%202020.pdf 7 Interview 1: Ahmed Yaqoubi and Marwan Bardawil, PWA, 16/4/2015. PWA, Gaza Water Resources Status Report, December 2014,Pg1 8 Interview 10: Francios Boher, ICRC Gaza, 21/5/2015. 9 Interview 6: Taleb Syam, Gaza Municipality, 23/4/2015 10 CMWU/PWA damage assessment report & Gaza Municipality: Initial damage assessment to the Municipality of Gaza's Facilities and Services damaged during the War (8 July 4 August). 11 Interview 7: Farid Ashour, Director of Project Management Unit, CMWU, 23/4/2015. 12 Interview 3: Medhat Al-Masri, engineer, PWA, 16/4/2015. 13 Interview 9: Saedeldeen Al-Attbash, Municipality of Gaza, 19/5/2015. 14 Interview 11: Saedeldeen Al-Attbash, Jamal Fehmy, Maher Salem, Municipality of Gaza, 15/6/2015

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On 31 March 2015, the PWA received reports from farmers near Nahal Oz in East Gaza about large amounts of water submerging an agricultural area. On April 8 2015, after arranging for security coordination, teams from the PWA, the Municipality of Gaza, and the contractor identified leakage in a manhole, located 140 meters away from the border. After 9 days of pumping Nahal Oz water was halted. Water meter reading comparisons on Israeli side 90,000 CM and at Al-Muntar 86,000 CM, showed estimated leakage losses of 4,000 CM. An attempt to

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repair the leak was conducted on 19 April 2015, which led to the discovery of further damages. With ICRC funding and coordination, repairs to the Nahal Oz manhole and surrounding network were completed mid-May. Pumping of Mekorot water was resumed as of 26 May 2015 and is still ongoing. To alleviate access issues ICRC plans to relocate the manhole from the border zone to as close to the Al-Muntar Reservoir as possible. ICRC expects these plans to be implemented in 2016.8

Nahal Oz Mekorot water flow in Gaza City main lines 14 June 2015. Disconnected Al Muntar reservoir shown as circle