Improving water safety in Palestine: mitigating risks from unregulated water sources

Swiss partners

• FHNW: Maryna Peter (main applicant), Carola Bänziger, Andrea Tamas

 MENA partners

• Palestine Polytechnic University: Hassan Sawalha (main applicant), Sultan Safa, Maher Al-Jabari

Presentation of the project

Water availability in the West Bank is far below global benchmarks for scarcity (Ref3), with accessible resources estimated at only 185 m³ per capita per year in 2015 and projected to decline below 83 m³ per capita per year by 2050 (Ref2). This shortage is shaped by natural conditions, including arid climate and variable rainfall, as well as political constraints: approximately 87 % of groundwater reserves remain under Israeli control and largely inaccessible to Palestinians (Ref1, Ref4). As a result, many households, schools, and institutions rely on informal water sources such as boreholes, private wells, and water trucking. While these sources are essential for community resilience and self-supply, they are rarely monitored and may carry microbial and chemical health risks, particularly for children.

The project aims to improve the safety and reliability of unregulated water sources in Hebron Municipality while strengthening community resilience. Specific objectives are: (1) characterize sources, storage, and delivery and assess microbial and chemical risks through sampling and testing; (2) engage communities, water truck operators, schools, and municipal stakeholders through participatory workshops and meetings; and (3) develop and pilot booster chlorination protocols and source protection measures under real-world conditions, evaluating operational performance; and (4) produce operational guidelines. 

The project is structured into five work packages: identification and characterization of unregulated sources; exposure pathways and source-level water quality assessment; development of booster chlorination and source protection measures; pilot implementation and evaluation; and stakeholder engagement and dissemination. Activities include field surveys, interviews, laboratory analysis, participatory workshops, and real-world testing.

Expected outputs include characterization and risk assessment reports, community and stakeholder workshop(s), pilot evaluation reports and operational guidelines. These will reduce health risks, foster community ownership of water safety practices, and contribute to resilient water management. 

The project builds on long-term collaboration between FHNW and PPU, including prior work on school water chlorination and the ongoing 2024–2025 greywater recycling project, strengthening local trust, field access, and practical experience. Engagement with communities, municipalities, and WASH actors ensures relevance and sustainability.