in warscarred gaza water pollution behind health woes
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

More and more Gazans are falling ill from their drinking

In war-scarred Gaza, water pollution behind health woes

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today In war-scarred Gaza, water pollution behind health woes

In war-scarred Gaza, water pollution behind health woes
Gaza City - Arab Today

More and more Gazans are falling ill from their drinking water, highlighting the humanitarian issues facing the Palestinian enclave that the UN says could become uninhabitable by 2020.

The situation has already reached crisis point in the war-scarred, underdeveloped and blockaded territory, says Monther Shoblak, general manager of the strip’s water utility.

“More than 97 percent of the water table is unfit for domestic use because of salinisation never before seen,” he said.

Obama allows UN resolution against Israeli settlements to pass

The United Nations puts scarcity and pollution of water resources at the forefront of Gaza’s scourges.

“If the catastrophe does not arrive this year, it will surely be here within three years,” said Zidane Abu Zuhri who is in charge of water issues at UNICEF, the world body’s children’s fund.

Almost all of the narrow coastal strip’s two million people depend upon its water table for their private or commercial needs, reaching their taps through a dilapidated public system or pumped privately from the ground.

The health of Gazans is suffering as a result.

“Each year we see a 13-14 percent increase in the number of patients admitted with kidney problems,” said Dr Abdallah al-Kishawi, head of nephrology at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

These kidney problems have “previously known origins, such as tension, diabetes and hereditary diseases, but there is no doubt that water pollution also plays a role”, he said.

High salinity, for example, can cause kidney stones and problems in the urinary tract.

In 2012 and again in 2015, the United Nations listed the threats that could render the enclave uninhabitable by 2020.

It spoke of the ravages of three wars since 2008 and the decade-long Israeli blockade, an unemployment rate of almost 44 percent and food insecurity.

UN officials have called for the blockade to be lifted on the territory run by Islamist movement Hamas. Israel says however that it is needed to keep Hamas from obtaining weapons or materials that could be used to produce them.

Hamas welcomes landmark UN vote on Israel settlements

In a territory on the edge of the desert, bounded by Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, where watercourses are reduced to mainly dry gulches, the water table is overexploited.

The level drops and seawater seeps in, raising salinity.
Brackish water is then used for cooking, showers, laundry and irrigation.

Well-off Gazans dig their own wells pumping water brought to the surface from dozens of metres (yards) below.

Sami Lubbad, in charge of environmental issues at the Gaza health ministry, says pollution is of two kinds, chemical and microbiological.

At the deepest part of the water table, these pollutants combine and raise the chloride and nitrate levels.

They can cause congenital cyanosis in babies “and also play a role in the development of cancers”, says university professor Adnan Aish.

“The prevalence of cancer is higher among people living near water treatment plants,” he adds.

Microbiological pollution is caused by bacteria of faecal origin, mainly from wastewater and agriculture runoff.

Chemical pollution is caused by pesticides but also, say experts, by the toxic remnants of ammunition fired during wars. Lead and sulphur can cause kidney problems, says Dr Kishawi.

Gaza’s wars have severely damaged already-lacking infrastructure.
Much of the wastewater is not treated, allowing it to seep back into the soil and pollute water supplies.

“Around two-thirds of Gazans buy their water in the private sector,” often in bottles sold for two shekels (around $0.53) per 16 litres, says June Kunugi, head of UNICEF in the Palestinian territories.

But such water, often produced only by desalination, can also be polluted.

“Many children have parasites and worms and suffer from diarrhoea and malnutrition,” said Kunugi.

At the edge of the Mediterranean, desalination of sea water is one potential solution.

In January, the largest desalination plant in Gaza partially opened with the help of international aid.

It will supply 75,000 people with safe water, a number that will rise to 150,000 when a second phase is opened. Other plants are planned.

Israel kills Hamas commander, bombs Gaza strip targets

But radical changes in behaviour are also needed, including storing rainwater and reusing water, said Kunugi.

Experts stress that it is crucial to allow the water table to be reconstituted without touching it.

“If no solution is found by 2020, disaster will occur and man will be solely responsible for it,” warns Shoblak of the water utility.

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

in warscarred gaza water pollution behind health woes in warscarred gaza water pollution behind health woes



GMT 07:22 2017 Monday ,20 November

Honda recalls 800,000 minivans over faulty seats

GMT 07:15 2017 Thursday ,30 November

Colombian President invites UAE companies

GMT 13:44 2013 Wednesday ,07 August

Chinese game developers bet on smartphone games

GMT 10:30 2011 Tuesday ,23 August

The Arab-Spanish investment forum 2011

GMT 10:49 2017 Monday ,06 November

Britain frozen out as EU finance chiefs plot future

GMT 14:30 2017 Wednesday ,06 December

India scent Test victory as pollution makes bowlers vomit

GMT 12:32 2018 Tuesday ,16 October

Runaway former sex offender nabbed in Thailand

GMT 16:34 2017 Wednesday ,01 March

Afghan capital attack toll jumps to 16

GMT 20:32 2013 Monday ,17 June

Porsche finds a new target audience

GMT 10:13 2011 Sunday ,31 July

Distressed debt firm eyes Nakheel creditors

GMT 18:25 2016 Thursday ,08 September

Ex-Lankan president’s ‘vanity airline’ grounded

GMT 21:02 2018 Wednesday ,05 September

Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes Russia’s Urals region

GMT 18:54 2014 Tuesday ,14 January

Cobalt nanoparticles applied in designing biosensor

GMT 12:00 2013 Wednesday ,31 July

Saudi consumers given teeth whitening kit warning

GMT 14:26 2014 Wednesday ,12 February

Earthquake behind shroud of Turin image

GMT 08:58 2014 Wednesday ,15 January

\'Lone Survivor\' blows away North American box office

GMT 15:32 2015 Sunday ,27 September

Thousands march to remember Mexico's missing students

GMT 01:25 2017 Thursday ,05 January

Strong Earthquake Strikes Off Coast of Fiji

GMT 12:51 2011 Friday ,08 July

No plans to merge Gazprom and Naftogaz
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday