The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
March 2011
Progress Report on the Waste Water Treatment Sector
From the Desk of LTC Avi Shalev, Head of the International Organizations Branch
The Civil Administration is keen to support and help the
development of the wastewater sector in the West Bank.
Treatment of wastewater is of key importance to the re-
gion and to the communities. Untreated wastewater can
cause serious environmental, water and health hazards.
Treating wastewater is also a very important contribu-
tion to water conservation, as treated wastewater can be
exploited for agricultural purposes. At present, it is esti-
mated that 50% of water usage in the Palestinian sector
in the West Bank (approximately 90 million cubic meters
per year) is used for agricultural purposes, all of which is
potable water derived from the mountain aquifer. Israel
by contrast recycles about 72% of water used in agricul-
ture. Water recycling could therefore free a large amount
of potable water for human consumption, helping water
preservation, which is so precious to the region.
The Dir Sharaf Wastewater Treatment Plant was first fully
approved by the Civil Administration in 2001, and again
in 2009 when the project was resubmitted. The project,
funded by the German Development Bank KFW, will treat
the wastewater of Nablus City, currently flowing through
the Zimar Wadi (Stream), culminating in the Mediterra-
nean. The project will treat 3 million cubic meters of raw
sewage, allowing for greater access to water for agricul-
tural purposes in the region and better living standard for
the citizens of Nablus. The Civil Administration is coor-
dinating all aspects of implementation with the contrac-
tor. Construction is due to begin in March of 2011 and is
expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
Civil Administration personnel on a field visit to the site of the Dir
Sharaf WWTP funded by the German Development Bank.
December 2010.
Projects Department
The Civil Administration built a regional Waste Water
Treatment Plant in the Hebron District in 1992. The plant
was planned to recycle the waste water of Hebron City,
Bani Naim, and Halhul (see map on page 3). Three ponds
were constructed south of Bani Naim, adjacent to Road
317, as well as a booster station south of the industrial
zone of Hebron City. Regrettably, the treatment plant has
never been used by the Palestinians despite the acute water
shortage in the area. The Civil Administration welcomes
the PWA and the international community’s involvement
in reinitiating use of this facility.
The Hebron Waste Water Treatment Plant: The Civil Ad-
ministration has expressed its solid support for the World
Bank’s initiative to construct a wastewater treatment plant
for Hebron City. The sewage from Hebron City currently
flows through the Hebron Wadi into the Negev Desert,
and is considered to be one of the most serious environ-
mental and health hazards of the region. The planned lo-
cation for the plant is in Areas A and B, which falls un-
der jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, the project
therefore does not require any form of building permit
from the Civil Administration. The trunk line system,
which traverses Area C, was approval by the Civil Admin-
istration in 2003.
Waste Water Sector Responses
Project Status
Dir Sharaf Under Implementation
WWTP
Hebron WWTP Permit Order Issued 2003
Tulkarem Waste Permit Order to be Issued before July
Water Network 2011
Bitunia WWTP Pending Submission of Building
Permit Request
Salfit WWTP Area B. No further permitting re-
quired from the Civil Administration
Nablus East Area B. Master Plan Approved 1999
WWTP by the Civil Administration. No fur-
ther permitting required by the Civil
Administration.
Bethlehem West Endorsed by the Civil Administra-
WWTP tion. Pending submission of Feasibil-
ity Study.
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The Tulkarem Waste Water Network project was approved
by the Joint Water Committee in December 2010. Plans
were submitted to the Civil Administration in January
2011 and are currently under review. A permit order for
the project will be issued in the coming months. The pro-
ject involves a network of trunk lines and underground
systems that will collect the sewage from Tulkarem City
and several nearby Palestinian villages, including: Shwike,
Beit-Lid, Ramin, Zaharat Nasser, Kufr Amman, Anapta,
Kufr Labed, and Iktaba. The sewage will be treated in an
existing Tulkarem facility, before being sent for further
treatment to a wastewater treatment plant in Israel. This
project will allow for the rehabilitation of the polluted
stream that currently runs through the Tulkarem district
and will present a major improvement for the environment
and public health of the entire district.
The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
Projects Department
The Master Plan for the Nablus East Waste Water Treatment
Plant was approved by the Civil Administration in 1999,
though to date has not been implemented by the PWA. The
proposed location of the plant now falls under Palestin-
ian control, and requires no further permitting from the
Israeli side. The Civil Administration is in support of this
project, and looks forward to the benefits to the entire re-
gion, and to the local communities, that its implementa-
tion will entail.

The Civil Administration is currently reviewing a feasibil-

ity study submitted for the Bitunia WWTP in January 2011.
The Civil Administration shall respond to the feasibility
study in the coming weeks, and will recommend the sub-
mission of a building permit request and an environmental Sewage from the Tulkarem district currently flows into the Alexander
impact assessment report for the proposed project. Stream in Israel. The Civil Administration will issue a permit order for
a Tulkarem trunk line in the coming months.
The Salfit WWTP: The approved site for the Salfit WWTP The Civil Administration is eager to cooperate with the
is situated in Area B and requires no further permitting PWA and international community to promote wastewa-
from the Israeli side. Sewage from Salfit currently flows in ter sector development in the West Bank. The Civil Admin-
a trunk line permitted by the Civil Administration which istration strongly supports a recent request by Friends Of
ends abruptly at the approved site of the yet-to-be con- The Earth Israel to undertake a feasibility study in view of
structed WWTP. constructing a wastewater treatment plant in the Bethlehem
governorate for Hussan, Batir, Wadi-Fukin villages.

“Master Plan” for East Nablus waste water treatment plant approved by the Civil Administration in 1999. Since the designated site spans Area
A and Area B, the Civil Administration has handed over the plans for use by the Palestinian Authority.

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The Wadi Kana trunk line collects waste water from sev-
eral communities in the Qalqiliya District for treatment
in a WWTP situated in Israel. This recently built trunk
line was designed by the Israeli authorities to also serve
11 Palestinian villages and towns such as Beit Amin, Kfar
Tholoth, and Azoun At’meh. These villages currently have
no internal collection system, but once connected will
have full access to the recycled water for their agricultural
needs. The Civil Administration urges the PWA and Inter-
national Community to investigate the possibility of con-
necting these villages to the Wadi Kana trunk line.
The Civil Administration
International Organizations Branch
Projects Department
The Civil Administration also encouragingly endorses
the pending USAID proposals to build several more
WWTPs in the West Bank and looks forward to close
collaboration in their future implementation. Together
we can transform wastewater treatment proposals into
a West Bank reality.

In the past several years, the Joint Water Committee and the
Civil Administration have approved numerous waste water
projects, of which very few have begun to be implemented.
Implementation of these approved projects would en-
hance the environment and quality of life for all popula-
tions in the West Bank and provide alternative sources of
water for the agricultural sector.

Treatment of the 53 Million Cubic Meters

of Palestinian Sewage Per Annum
27%

65% 8%

Treated in Israeli WWTP

Treated in Palestinian WWTP
Untreated Palestinian Sewage The Hebron Regional WWTP built by the Civil Administration in
1992 to treat Hebron City, Bani Naim, and Halhul sewage. The plant
was never used.

Reuse of Sewage Effluents in the Agricultural Sector (2008)

80%
72%
70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%
12%
8% 9%
5% 10%
0% 1%
0%
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Authority Europe
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