GAZA, September 2, 2026 (WAFA) - The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) warned on Wednesday that the sewage system in the genocide-stricken Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented crisis, as approximately 55,000 cubic meters of wastewater continue to be discharged daily without treatment, exacerbating environmental and health risks and threatening pollution of the sea and environment.
The PWA said that around 40,000 cubic meters of wastewater are discharged into the sea every day without treatment, while another 15,000 cubic meters seep into the environment through cesspits and leaks from sewage networks.
It added that the five main wastewater treatment plants in the Strip have ceased operations, while only 18 pumping stations are operating partially out of approximately 74 stations that were operational before the genocidal aggression. The proportion of the population served by sewage networks has also fallen from more than 85% to around 45%.
The PWA noted that wastewater treatment capacity has dropped from approximately 185,000 cubic meters per day before the genocidal aggression to zero at present, except for ongoing rehabilitation works at the Sheikh Ajleen treatment plant.
It added that in cooperation with its partners, it was working working to support the operation of functioning pumping stations by providing fuel, repairing around 20 critical pumping stations and sewage networks, and addressing approximately 900 environmentally and health-sensitive priority sites, including more than 30 vital locations.
The response also includes emergency suction and pumping operations using heavy equipment, as well as damage assessments covering 44 pumping stations and approximately 385 kilometers of sewage networks.
The PWA said that rehabilitation priorities focus on restoring operations at the Sheikh Ajleen treatment plant in two phases, enabling the recovery of an initial treatment capacity of approximately 22,000 cubic meters per day with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with capacity expected to later increase to around 65,000 cubic meters per day.
Rehabilitation works also include the Sheikh Radwan pumping station and the pumping stations and pressure lines connected to the Sheikh Ajleen plant, with support from UNICEF, in addition to the maintenance and rehabilitation of damaged sewage networks and pressure lines.
The PWA stressed that urgent needs include the regular and sustainable provision of fuel, pumps, generators and electromechanical spare parts, suction and cleaning trucks, and heavy equipment, as well as materials for constructing sewage networks and temporary wastewater solutions.
The current phase also requires expanding sewage solutions at displacement sites, deploying scalable treatment units, securing funding, and ensuring safe and sustained access for the teams and equipment needed to carry out repair and rehabilitation works.
The PWA cautioned that the continued discharge of untreated wastewater is exacerbating the risks of pollution to the sea and environment and threatening public health. It stressed that restoring the sewage system and rehabilitating its infrastructure constitute an urgent priority to protect the population and environment and create conditions for the recovery of the Gaza Strip.
K.F.
