Latest on Gaza Sewage

1 May 2008

Between 50 and 60 million litres of partially treated and untreated sewage from the Gaza Strip have been flowing daily into the Mediterranean Sea since 24 January.

· This sewage cannot be treated due to the lack of a steady electricity supply within the Gaza Strip, Israel?s restrictions on fuel imports, and prohibitions on the import of materials and necessary spare parts.

· Full sewage treatment requires 14 continuous days of uninterrupted power supply which cannot occur due to daily power cuts and insufficient fuel to operate power-supplying and back-up generators.

· The sewage discharge is contaminating Gaza sea waters and posing health risks for bathers and consumers of seafood. The sewage flows northward to Israeli coasts, including near the Ashkelon desalination plant. Urgent studies are needed to examine the extent of the impact.

· The ongoing fuel shortages are triggering a further deterioration in the situation, in which untreated sewage is now being pumped into heavily populated residential areas: three million litres of raw sewage were recently pumped into the storm water lagoon Jabaliya camp; a sewage pumping station near Zeitoun is likely to flood when its generator fuel runs out in the next 24-48 hours.