GAZA, July 25, 2009 (WAFA)- American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) said that a long awaited source of life is becoming a reality by installing reliable water systems in the Beir El-Naaja area in Jabaila, north of Gaza City.

Like many districts in Gaza, water is scarce and limited but in Beir El-Naaja the situation is much worse. The residents have been suffering for many years due to the scarcity of water and are dependent on filling tanks with purchased water jars, a costly and temporary solution.

'We spent so many hours during the night collecting very small drops of water to fill our tanks. It was tiresome and frustrating,' said Mr. Abu Warda, a 25-year-old father of two who was born and raised in the area. 'We used to not have water at all. Because the water pumping was so weak, we had to operate generators, which in so many cases didn't work. We saved the water in gallon containers, hoping to conserve it longer.'

Mr. Abu Warda lives upstairs on a rooftop, along with his wife and children, in a small place with one room and kitchenette. The place is very hot – the intense sun rays constantly beaming in on the makeshift home. Now, thanks to ANERA, they have a black pipe that pumps water to the family, which Mrs. Abu Warda describes as quick and efficient.

ANERA responded to the water needs in the Jabalia area by replacing the old and damaged piping network with a new one that is about four inches in diameter, double the size of the old one. The main network can now provide potable water over a wider distance through small pipes that reach individual households. The project is one of 10 such water projects ANERA is carrying out in Gaza.

'We never expected this until we saw it with our own eyes. This summer is unlike the past when we felt like we lived in a desert. Now it is like heaven,' said Abu Warda, washing the hands of his son with clean, fresh water.