Drinking water access and quality in the Gaza Strip prior to 7 October 2023 and implications for reconstruction.

Abstract

Background: The water supply of the Gaza Strip has been unstable and under great strain for decades, resulting in major problems with the quality, reliability, and acceptability of drinking water. Destruction of water infrastructure and concerns over the quality of piped water have resulted in a complex constellation of drinking water sources. We aim to describe the different types of drinking water sources used by households, compare water quality from drinking water samples, present different water treatments used in households and highlight different insecurities around water access in households.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional household survey in North Gaza, Gaza and Rafah between January and March 2023. Using an interviewer-administered survey, we collected information on drinking water sources and insecurities and obtained a drinking water sample from the tap in the household. The water samples were analyzed for microbial contamination, nitrate, sodium and mineral content.

Results: We collected data from 905 households. Only 3% had access to a single water source, 87% had access to two sources and 96% had access to piped water from the municipality. Piped municipal water was mainly used for hygiene and bathing, while the three most used sources for drinking were tanker trucks (82%), public taps (10%) and piped water from the municipalities (3.7%). Fecal coliform was present in 20% of water samples, 1% had high nitrate levels and nearly all samples had low mineral content. While around 15-19% of the households were sometimes or often water insecure, over 90% reported never drinking from undesirable sources, drinking unsafe water, or going to sleep thirsty. Households using municipal piped water tended to be most water secure.

Conclusions: The water quality and insecurity about accessibility and quality of water pose a health threat and need to be addressed at system level. Rebuilding the water infrastructure will be a key element during the reconstruction after the current war. It is crucial that the shortcomings of the pre-war water system are not rebuilt, and lessons are learnt from pre-war data to establish a health-promoting water system in the Gaza Strip.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.