World Bank allocating $6.4 million to Gaza water project

On Tuesday, the World Bank reported that it has approved a grant of US$6.4 million to improve water and sewage services in the Gaza Strip.  The Islamic Development Bank will also donate US$11.14 million to the project.

The infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave, which has a population of more than 1.5 million people, has been deteriorating for some years and the area is now "choked with untreated sewage."   In the wake of the recent 8-day firefight between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the World Bank has said that something has to be done to improve the situation.

Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza, said,   “We are concerned about the lack of clean water supply and the deterioration in the quality of water resources in the Gaza Strip.”

"The new project is very important to Gaza citizens. Not only will it increase the sustainability of water and sewage networks, but it will also allow the utility to better serve the needs of their customers," Sherman added.

The World Bank will be working in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, which is making a donation of US$11.14 million to the project.

The latest project by the World Bank will fund the connection of major wells to the supply grid, the construction of water tanks and the repair of costly leaks.  The project will also assist the local utility to enhance billing and customer services.

“As part of the Bank strategy for the West Bank and Gaza to support local institutions, the project will provide technical and operational assistance so that water and sewage services may be more efficiently managed,” said Iyad Rammal, Senior World Bank Infrastructure Specialist.