Enabling greywater reuse in Palestinian households
Swiss partners
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Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW: Maryna Peter (main applicant), Kim Müller
Partners in the MENA region
- Palestine Polytechnic University, Occupied Palestine Territory (OPT): Hassan Sawalha (main applicant), Maher Al-Jabari, Safa Sultan
Presentation of the projet
The Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) faces a severe water crisis, with approximately 660,000 Palestinians experiencing restricted access to water, and access to water volume well below WHO recommendations (Human Rights Council, 2021). This crisis is exacerbated by arid climate conditions, population growth, Israeli control over water resources, and infrastructure demolitions. The Hebron Governorate, the largest in the West Bank, is particularly affected, with some communities relying on as little as 20 liters of water per capita daily (Amnesty International, 2009).
Water scarcity bears profound social, economic, health, and agricultural consequences. It leads to waterborne diseases and economic challenges due to costly water trucking services. To address this issue, our project explores the greywater reuse for irrigation as a feasible solution at the household level.
Our project aims to create a greywater treatment system customized for Palestinian communities. It assesses its technical performance, safety, acceptability, and affordability. We focus on closing identified gaps by developing digital monitoring, conducting risk assessment, economic feasibility analysis, and examining user acceptance, as well as drivers and barriers to adoption. Key stakeholders like the Palestinian Water Authority and WASH Cluster Partners will be engaged to en-sure success and foster broader greywater reuse adoption.
Our multifaceted approach includes field research, technical laboratory evaluations, pilot greywater reuse system implementation, and stakeholder engagement across five work packages. Activities encompass desk studies, field visits, surveys, technical and user-centered assessments, and stakeholder engagement. Risk mitigation strategies address technical failures, infrastructure damage, security concerns, and partnership building.
We seek to raise awareness about water scarcity's severity and greywater reuse's potential. We aim to develop, evaluate, and implement a practical technical solution, alongside a comprehensive monitoring and management concept. Our goal is to lay the groundwork for future research and scaling efforts, expanding the adoption of greywater reuse systems. Our vision is to make a lasting impact by addressing acute water shortages through greywater reuse, improved water management, and stakeholder collaboration.