A group of Israeli, Palestinian and French scientists have proposed a possible management solution to ameliorate the water quality crisis depriving residents of drinkable water in the Gaza Strip. In their study [1] the researchers, the proposed management plan would provide a win-win situation for both Israelis and Palestinians, but requires cooperation between the two parties. The plan is a unique three phase effort among the researchers as a part of the European Union Fifth Framework Program. The first step involved investigating sources of salinity and contamination patterns in the area. Second, models were used to simulate the different water flow patterns along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The third level of the project provided management scenarios tested by mathematical models.

[1] Weinthal, E. … [et al.] (2005). The water crisis in the Gaza Strip : prospects for resolution. Groundwater ; vol. 43, no. 5 ; p. 653-660. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2005.00064.x

C ontact: A. Vengosh, Dept. Geological and Environmental Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Israel, mailto:avnerv@bgu.ac.il

Source: Science Daily, 7 Sep 2005

Tags: water quality