However, there has been little coordination between the two parties in planning the use of the resource. As a result, unregulated tapping of the aquifer has led to a deficit and some contamination issues, although not to the extent of the problems with the Coastal or Gaza Aquifers. Irrigation is prevalent in only two regions of the Jordan, the East Ghor area along the east bank of the Jordan River and the Yarmuk Triangle in the very northwestern corner of the country between the Jordan and Yarmuk. Along with increases in population comes development and economic expansion is a major goal of the ruling Hashemite regime. The major characteristic of Palestinian water use in the West Bank is that it is highly regulated by Israel.
Many homes are without running water, particularly in the smaller towns and villages.
Frustration only builds for the Palestinians when they see Jewish settlements spring up several kilometers from their own village and grow green lawns while the Arabs struggle to save enough water for drinking and cooking. One significant problem with this overexploitation is that in order to reach the best quality water, one must drill deeper wells as the water table drops. However, Israel still refuses to permit any new Palestinian wells to be drilled for agricultural purposes and also limits new wells for domestic purposes. Under the status quo scenario, whereby the West Bank remains under Israeli control and irrigation is allowed to expand some commensurate with general population growth, Palestinian demand within the territory will be 216 MCM by 2020 to support 2.37 million people. As mentioned earlier, the Gaza Strip's major problem is an environmental one, saltwater intrusion upon the territory's only natural water source.