Desalination status in the Gaza Strip and its environmental impact Original Research Article

Due to the sharp shortage of water and the bad quality of groundwater, desalination plants were set up in the Gaza Strip area in Palestine. Currently, there are six reverse osmosis desalination plants in the Gaza Strip owned and operated by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and different municipalities. In addition, there are many small desalination units owned and operated by private investors for commercial purposes. Currently there is a plan for a regional seawater desalination plant with a capacity up to 150,000 m3/y. According to the PWA plan, desalination seems to be the only viable alternative for water resources. However, large-scale desalination plants seem to be several years in the future. Meanwhile, studies on the environmental impact of desalination should be made in order to take the proper measures to protect the environment. So far, the currently operated plants have unfortunately not taken these measures. The effluent brines from these plants are not properly disposed of and the quality of desalinated water is not monitored. The impact of desalination on the environment was investigated, and possible measures to reduce this impact were introduced.