International Umbrella for Volunteer Israel Advocacy Groups

Website www.cohav.org
Water Issues Report 2012
The Facts
CoHaV has now received the latest report from the Water Commissioner The Issue of
Water between Israel and the Palestinians and if anyone wants a copy of the 28
page report, just let me know.
Note that this report cover fresh water supplies only, it does not include desalinated or
recycled water
The report lists the activities of the Joint Water Committee (JWC). This has four subcommittees:
Hydrological Committee: reviews requests for the drilling of water wells. This
committee has to date approved the drilling of about 70 new water wells for the
Palestinians as well as 22 observation wells, principally in the eastern Mountain Aquifer
(of which only about half have been implemented by the Palestinians to date). It has also
approved approximately 55 additional requests for upgrading of existing wells (there are
about 500 legal water wells in the West Bank).
Water Works Committee: has to date approved the laying of water supply pipelines
and the construction of tens of storage reservoirs and pumping stations.
Sewage Committee: has approved the construction of numerous wastewater treatment
plants. Even though the donor countries have expressed their readiness to fully fund the
construction of wastewater treatment plants for all major Palestinian cities, only one
such plant has been constructed on the Palestinian side .
Water Pricing Committee: this committee determines from time to time the price of
water sold by Israel to the Palestinian Authority. Financial accounts between Israel and
the Palestinian Authority have been routinely settled in an orderly manner for the past 13
years.
It should be noted that almost all the Palestinians' development programs in the domains
of water supply and wastewater have been financed by donor countries.
Fresh Water availability 2010
a) Israel has 1170 Million cubes (MCM) of fresh water available for 7.8 million
residents. This is equivalent to 150 cubic metres per capita
b) The Palestinians in Judea and Samaria have 200 MCM plus an additional 52 MCM
supplied by Israel under the 1995 agreement although that agreement specified
only 23.6 MCM. This is equivalent to 125 cubic metres per capita

Fresh Water Supply and Consumption vs Availability per capita to the

Palestinians in the West Bank to 2009 According to the Water Agreement and
in Practice (MCM/yr)
(Note these figures apply to 2009, the previous paragraph refers to 2010)

As regards Gaza, it was agreed to transfer to the Gaza Strip an additional 5 MCM/yr from
Israel's national system (at a price equal to the cost of desalinated water plus transport).
The supply pipeline for this purpose was laid by Israel up to the border with the Gaza
Strip.
Development of water supply systems for the Palestinians has in the past decade been
carried out on a very large scale, much larger than that stated in the Interim Agreement.
This development has for the most part taken place after obtaining the approval of the
JWC and with funding from donor countries.
Available Fresh Water in the Region

Note that :-

a) Jordan has more

fresh water available
per capita than Israel
(172 cubic metres per
capita per year against
153 for Israel), yet we
give 40 millcubic
metres a year to
Jordan under the
terms of the peace
treaty
b) Jordan loses 40% of its
fresh water to
evaporation, bad
infrastructure, leakage
etc compared to Israel
10%

Israel has cut the allocation of fresh water for agriculture within its territory to an
unprecedented extent: the total amount of fresh water to agriculture has dropped in the
last decade to less than half what is was a decade ago, and in years of shortage (like
2008) restricted to even much lower values. To compensate for this reduction, Israel has
increased to about 80% (430 mcm/year) the percentage of municipal sewage that is
treated and reused for irrigation. Similar action by the Palestinians would release fresh
water to increase the supply of municipal water by at least 25 MCM/yr, a very significant
increment. (We are still waiting for the PA to take action!!)

Summary
a) Jordan has more fresh water available per capita than Israel (172 cubic
metres per capita per year against 153 for Israel), yet we give 40
millcubic metres a year to Jordan under the terms of the peace treaty
b) Jordan loses 40% of its fresh water to evaporation, bad infrastructure, leakage
etc compared to Israel 10%
c) Israel recycles 80% of its waste water as of 2010, the Palestinians 0%
d) Palestinians consume 95 cubic metres per capita per year against 129 cubic
meters fresh water availability of which Israel supplies 29 cubic metres
e) Israel is supplying the Palestinians more than double the amount agreed in the
1995 agreement. Agreed 23.6 million cubic metres, including 5 for Gaza, actually
supplying 52.
f) Palestinians are losing 33% of water supplied due to evaporation, leakage and a
large part due to theft.
g) Over 300 illegal wells have been drilled in Judea and Samaria which ultimately
can destroy the aquifer and cause an ecological disaster for the Palestinians.
h) In spite of help offered, the Palestinians do not recycle waste water or have any
plans for desalination