Even with these quantities, there was a real water shortage in the JWU distribution area during the last years which caused JWU to ration water supplies to the different areas. JWU sees a diehard reason for increasing the water sources in the area to accommodate the increasing demand for water especially since there will be an expected population increase because of the peace effort in the area. Hydrologists and Hydrogeological engineers pointed out certain sites in which drilling for water should commence. One of these sites is the Ein Samia well field which is located in the Eastern Groundwater Basin.
Water is discharged seaward beneath the coastal plain.
Although most of the groundwater of the West Bank's Western Basin area is actually under the western part of the West Bank, these water resources are used in the water supply of Israel as mentioned above. The overuse and misuse of this water basin by the Israelis is one of the most sensitive issues between Palestinians and Israelis. Despite the need for water in the area, the Israeli government did not allow during the 28 years of occupation any water resource development for JWU in this western part of the watershed. JWU was supposed to utilize the Shibteen well field for the future demand of the central part of Palestine since it is obvious that the only water source left for fulfilling the demand is the Western Basin. During the peace talks, the Palestinian negotiators insisted on their surface and groundwater rights in the West Bank, especially in the Western Basin.