Under the French Presidency of the European Union and the patronage of the Palestinian Water Authority, the Consulate General of France, the EU Representative and European Union Heads of Missions celebrate the World Water Day at the Hebron Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant and launched the Team Europe Initiative on waste water management.

Upscaling investments for better water resources management is extremely important for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Notably wastewater treatment and re-use is one of the concrete ideas translated into practical infrastructure projects to ensure better access to water resources for Palestinian communities.

The Hebron Waste Water Management program is currently the largest ongoing public infrastructure project in the West Bank and is an example where joint efforts are still needed. The €63 million project is co-financed by the EU (15 M€), AFD (17.5 M€), the World Bank ($4.5M), and the Palestinian Authority and Hebron Municipality. The project consists of Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure with a capacity to treat 22,500 cubic meters daily. The plant is expected to become operational early 2023, serving around 240,000 people living in Hebron. The plant will provide farmers in Hebron Governorate with treated wastewater for agricultural use. The Hebron governorate relies to a large extent on agriculture.

During the visit to the plant, the European Union Representative and the Consul General of France announced the launching of the Team Europe Initiative for Water Resources Management in the sectors of waste water and re-use. This initiative supports public and private investments in the context of the necessary sector reforms to achieve better management of water resources in the occupied Palestinian territories. In close cooperation with the Palestinian Water Authority the Team Europe initiative will explore distinct investment mechanisms, with a view to protecting  Palestine’s natural water resources against the backdrop of  an ever growing Palestinian population. Israel’s near total control of the natural water resources in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip adds to the challenges Palestinians are facing in accessing drinkable water. The EU, together with its Member States, can provide essential benefits through joint implementation and programing ensuring a “stronger together” approach. 

"The right to water and sanitation is a fundamental universal human right. Palestinians are deprived of the full enjoyment of this right for far too many years now. The lack of access to water resources in the West Bank and Gaza violates international conventions and creates multiple impediments against robust and sustainable economic growth in Palestine. While marking the International Water Day, European partners are joining forces and working closely with the Palestinian Authority to find ways to better manage water resources. Ultimately, this means that we want sufficient water supply to be ensured for every Palestinian in the occupied Palestinian territories,” said the European Union Representative, Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff.

Background:

The Team Europe Initiatives are a joint initiatives of the EU, European Member States and as well as the European Development Banks. Team Europe is about pulling resources together and better coordinating, to ensure that collectively we achieve the greatest sustainable impact and transformational change. It aims to provide a strategic European response to the multiple challenges faced by our partner countries. Drawing on the wealth of Team Europe’s collective experience, expertise and resources, the Team Europe approach provides an opportunity to combine the most appropriate mix of implementing modalities to obtain maximum results.