Troubled waters: Palestinians denied fair access to water

Lack of access to adequate, safe and clean water has been a longstanding problem for the Palestinian population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Though exacerbated in recent years by the impact of drought-induced water scarcity, this report argues that the problem arises principally as a result of Israel’s discriminatory water policies and practices against this population. This report examines the main patterns and trends affecting access to water for Palestinians in the OPT and analyses how these are impacting severely on the population’s rights, as protected under international law.

Access to water resources is controlled by Israel and is restricted to a level which, according to this report, does not meet the needs of the Palestinians in the OPT. Neither does it constitute a fair and equitable share of the shared water resources. Restrictions include:  restrictions on the movement of people and goods which makes it difficult to access water and maintain water and sanitation infrastructure, and a complex system of permits for water-related projects adds cost and sometimes means projects do not go ahead. The report argues that these restrictions do not apply to the Israeli settlements in their access to the water networks for both domestic and commercial use.

In the face of water shortages and deepening poverty, Palestinians have resorted to drilling unlicensed wells, connecting to the water network illegally or simply stopped paying bills. These practices compound the economic viability and authority of the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), which in turn, experiences internal problems and mismanagement, and is almost totally dependent on international aid.

Some of the report’s recommendations include:

For the Israeli authorities 

• Permit the Palestinians to access and extract an equitable share of the water resources in the OPT, and limit their own extraction to a level that respects the principle of equitable and reasonable utilisation 
  
• Permit the construction of water and sanitation infrastructure sufficient to ensure physical access to safe and regular water for Palestinians 
  
• Put an immediate end to the destruction of water harvesting and storage cisterns, spring canals and other water facilities in Area C of the West Bank 
  
• Take concrete measures to put an end to the dumping of waste in Area C of the West Bank and put an end to the discharge of sewage and wastewater from Israeli settlements into the OPT

For the PWA 

• Maximise existing water resources and reduce unacceptably high water losses 
  
• Ensure all water supplies under Palestinian control are rigorously monitored for quality 
  
• Put in place and enforce regulatory mechanisms to put an end to the activities of unlicensed vendors and take action against individuals with unlicensed connections 
  
• Enforce the prohibition of dumping waste outside licensed dumps and landfills, and prioritise the development of sewage collection networks and treatment facilities

For international donors 

• Improve coordination to maximise existing resources and ensure a high level of oversight of projects to avoid mismanagement 
  
• Commit to funding long-term water and sanitation infrastructure projects, and challenge and report restrictions and malpractices 
  
• Monitor and report on activities by Israeli and Palestinian authorities which hinder the effective implementation and delivery of water and sanitation projects and services