February 2013: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has constructed a water tank in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, as part of a larger UNDP emergency water supply and rehabilitation programme in the Northern Governorates of the Gaza Strip, which is supported by the Government of Japan. This programme aims to increase access to running water, as well as improve water quality and the residents’ quality of life.

The 3000 cubic meter Rafah water tank now supplies water to approximately 51,000 people, or 50% of the city’s population, which had previously experienced over eight years of water shortages. Rafah residents had restricted their domestic water consumption and paid high prices for drinking water. In addition, scarce power supplies and lack of coordination between electricity and water supplies meant that residents had to carefully monitor their water supplies and turn on booster pumps as soon as electricity and water were both available.

Over 13% of the Palestinian people lack access to running water and only 7% of water supplied for domestic use meets World Health Organization (WHO) standards, according to UNDP. [UNDP Press Release] [UNDP Emergency Water Supply and Rehabilitation Programme Website]