Press Release by Gaza's Coastal Municipalities Water Utility

This is a war crime depriving the citizens of Gaza of clean water and the ability to treat their sewage!

Press Release: By Coastal Municipalities Water Utility

January 10, 2009 -- Gaza, Palestine

Due to the current situation in the Gaza Strip that was imposed by

the Israeli military operations since Saturday 27/12/2008, the

Coastal Municipalities Water Utility "CMWU" hereby announces its

inability to (failure) maintain its services in both the water sector in terms

of production and distribution and wastewater sector in terms of collection

and discharging in Gaza Strip governorates. Despite our several appeals to

all international aid agencies and organizations to help out and support our

technical teams in keeping all water and wastewater facilities operational

and repairing the infrastructure damages and destructions caused by the

Israeli bombarding, but all these requests were declined until this moment.

In addition to the continuation of many obstacles during the past three

years such as closures and sieges, the CMWU faced acute shortage in

necessary spare parts, equipments, and machines for affording

the required infrastructural services and had to deal with

electricity insufficiency and fuel (diesel) shortage as power supply

alternative for restoring these services.

According to the above, the CMWU would like to brief the followings:

1. The water carrier line between Al-Moghraga wells and Nussierate city

was damaged due to Israeli air strikes to nearby El Zahraa'a and Nussierate

Bridge . As a result, more than 30,000 residents in Nussierate city are

inaccessible to water services.

2. Complete destruction of El-Edara Well in eastern side of Jabalia city. As

a result, more than 25,000 residents in Jabalia city are inaccessible to

water services. "CMWU" wants to state that the well operator has been

deceived due to Israeli bombarding.

3. The main electrical transistor that belongs to El Shiekh Ejleen water well

has been damaged. As a result, more than 40,000 residents of southern Tal

El Hawa city and the surrounding residential towers are out of water

services.

4. The main 12" steel water carrier that supply 40% of total water produced

from Gaza city northern side has been destroyed due to the Israeli military

operations. As a result, more than 200,000 residents in Gaza city are out of

vital water source.

5. Main sewerage line in Bait Hanoun city has been destroyed by the Israeli

military actions. The line is not repaired until this moment, which caused

health hazardous consequences.

6. The main power generator in Beit Lahia wastewater treatment

plant "BLWWTP" has been targeted by the Israeli military operations,

which halted the CMWU from carrying on its services in collection

and discharging the wastewater in Beit Lahia city. In addition to

several damages in several wastewater networks due to continuous Israeli

shelling.

7. Due to the presence of the Israeli troops in Netzarim area, the CMWU

states that the Gaza Wastewater Treatment Plant is completely out of

operation and yet the plant is unable to discharge the wastewater to the

sea. As a result, the collection ponds are threatened to be broken down at

any moment in which it will impose serious catastrophic humanitarian,

health, and environmental consequences on the surrounding lives and

properties from danger of sewerage floods.

8. Since the beginning of the Israeli military operations in Gaza Strip, the

wastewater level in main Beit Lahia discharging pond is increasing due to

power shortage and lack of fuel in the plant. As a result, major catastrophe

shall threaten the lives of thousands of residents of eastern Beit Lahia city

of danger of drowning in the sewage flooding.

9. The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility "CMWU" assures that it has

applied for several coordination requests from the Israeli side and through

the Palestinian Water Authority "PWA", International Committee of Red

Cross "ICRC", UNRWA, and all international humanitarian aid

organizations working in Gaza strip to facilitate the CMWU to repair all the

aforesaid damages points, and to distribute the fuel (diesel) to all water

and wastewater facilities that was donated by UNRWA as an urgent aid to

CMWU, but all these requests were declined and failed until this moment.

The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility "CMWU" appeals all international

humanitarian aid organizations allover the world for quick and prompt

intervention and involvement with the Israeli side to allow the CMWU for

providing and affording the minimum basic water and wastewater services

and restoring the operational capability of its water and wastewater

facilities to avoid further serious catastrophic humanitarian, health, and

environmental consequences under this hard situation in Gaza Strip.

www.cmwu.ps