Sewage pumps in the Gaza city of Deir al-Balah stopped working on Tuesday due to a fuel shortage, the municipality said, expressing concerns regarding a potential disease outbreak.
Tens of thousands of people have fled the fighting between Israel and Hamas, taking refuge in Deir al-Balah. Local authorities have warned of a “health and environmental disaster” that might affect over 700,000 people living in the city.
The statement said: “Deir al-Balah Municipality announces the suspension of work at the sewage treatment plants in Deir al-Balah due to the depletion of the amount of diesel needed for operation.”
The municipality warned regarding the lack of available solar power in the coming hours, which might lead to a disastrous situation where the city faces flooding with sewage water.
There has been no electricity supply in Gaza since the start of the war, which was triggered by an unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7.
Sewage treatment plants treat and recycle wastewater before it is discharged into the Mediterranean Sea.
The head of the emergency committee in the Deir al-Balah municipality, Ismail Sarsour, announced to Agence France-Presse before the statement was issued, “19 wells and two large water tanks are out of service in the city of Deir al-Balah.”
He emphasized that “the irregularity of diesel supply was a major reason for the outage of these facilities, which were providing water to more than 140 shelters, as well as schools, displaced persons, and residents.”
Recently, the Palestinian Water Authority, headquartered in the West Bank, said it was able to bring tens of thousands of liters of fuel into Gaza.
But experts warn that the water crisis is so severe that fuel alone is not enough to solve it.
Sarsour and experts pointed out that there is a severe shortage of spare parts needed to repair damaged infrastructure.
In early July, Israel announced it would connect a UNICEF-supported desalination plant in southern Gaza to electricity, but it was unclear whether the plant had become operational.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority announced that the electricity line supplying the central region of the Gaza Strip will be restored “in the coming days.”
health disaster as sewage water floods the streets.">
health disaster, Israel, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, electricity, Mediterranean Sea">
Gaza’s Deir al-Balah Faces Sewage Crisis: Fuel Shortages Fuel Health Concerns
The besieged Gaza Strip is grappling with a deepening water crisis, with the conflict’s impact on infrastructure pushing the region closer to a humanitarian disaster. The situation in Deir al-Balah, a city home to over 700,000 residents, has reached a critical point. Sewage pumps in the city have been forced to shut down due to a severe shortage of fuel, leaving tens of thousands of residents at risk of disease and environmental contamination.
Deir al-Balah’s Pumping Stations Halt, Fears of Disease Spread
The Deir al-Balah Municipality issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the suspension of all sewage treatment plant operations. The lack of diesel fuel needed to power the pumps has left them unable to function, leading to the flooding of streets with raw sewage. Local authorities have warned of an impending “health and environmental disaster” if the situation isn’t addressed quickly.
Fuel Shortage Triggers a Domino Effect
The absence of electricity supply in Gaza, a direct result of the ongoing conflict, has exacerbated the crisis. The electricity shortage has made it impossible for the treatment plants to rely on solar power, further compounding the problem. This domino effect has left the city’s residents facing a grim reality: a lack of clean water and the threat of a widespread health crisis.
The Impact on Water Infrastructure
The consequences of this crisis are far reaching. Solar powered water infrastructure, crucial for providing water to tens of thousands of displaced individuals in shelters and schools, has also been forced to shut down due to fuel shortages. This leaves those most vulnerable exposed to severe health risks.
Limited Solutions and Urgent Needs
While the Palestinian Water Authority has successfully brought a limited supply of fuel into Gaza, experts warn that this is just a temporary solution. The root of the crisis is a severe shortage of spare parts necessary for repairing damaged infrastructure. The lack of these essential components hinders any meaningful progress towards resolving the crisis.
Despite the challenges, there have been some developments. Israel announced in early July its commitment to connect a UNICEF-supported desalination plant in southern Gaza to the electricity grid. However, it remains unclear if this plant has become fully operational.
Hope on the Horizon?
The Palestinian Authority has also announced plans to restore the electricity line supplying the central region of the Gaza Strip in the coming days. This development, while positive, does not address the broader issue of dwindling fuel supply and the lack of spare parts for critical water infrastructure.
Without a comprehensive and sustainable solution, the water crisis in Gaza is poised to worsen, potentially leading to widespread disease and humanitarian tragedy. International cooperation and urgent action are essential to prevent a catastrophic health and environmental situation in Deir al-Balah and the entire Gaza Strip.
