Provision of solar energy sources to critical WASH facilities located in vulnerable and underserved communities in the Southern area of the Gaza Strip. Oxfam in partnership with the Palestinian Environmental Friends (PEF) and in close coordination with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), is proposing an action fully aligned with the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) plans and OCHA’s Second Standard Allocation Strategy in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) to improve sustainable access to water supply by maintaining minimum operations of public WASH facilities in the Gaza Strip. 
The project, ‘Provision of solar energy sources to critical WASH facilities located in vulnerable and underserved communities in Southern area of the Gaza Strip’, will increase equitable access to quality, sustainable and affordable water for targeted communities (56,700 individuals), identified based on the community vulnerability mapping study conducted by Islamic Relief in 2017-2018. This came in parallel to a constructive coordination process, led by Oxfam in close consultation with CMWU, the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and the WASH cluster, under the umbrella of the Solar Energy Coordination Task Force (ACF, GVC, UNICEF, IR, NRC, ACTED, PHG and Save the Children). Under the proposed intervention, a solar system for the Maen booster pumping station will be installed including two reservoirs and their associated pumping facilities in Khan Yunis. In addition, a solar system for Al Shoka desalination plant, established by Oxfam in 2017 and handed over to CMWU, will be installed. 
Maen booster pumping station, located in Maen Neighbourhood - Khan Yunis, includes two reservoirs with capacities of 3,800 cubic meters and 2,000 cubic meters (total of 5,800 cubic meters). These reservoirs are supplied with water by four wells: two are located within the same site of the booster pumping station and the other two are located in Khan Yunis. These two outside wells are operated by CMWU mainly relying on the utility grid operating during electricity connection hours (5 hours a day). Occasionally, during severe electricity shortages, the CMWU relies on power generators to operate the wells. Attached to the reservoirs, a pumping facility is operating with a total pumping capacity of 1,000 cubic meters per hour and with a daily operation of approximately 6 hours. The pumped amount of water (6,000 cubic meters per day) is distributed through the municipal water network in different localities within Khan Yunis: Maen, Jourt Allout, Alsatar Alsharqy, Alshaikh Naser, Almahatta and parts of Albalad locality. CMWU estimates that the total number of individuals currently benefitting from this booster is 47,700 individuals. CMWU estimates that 217 KW is needed for the Maen booster pumping station. 
Al Shouka Desalination Plant is located in Al Shouka, Rafah Governorate. The plant has a production capacity of 8 cubic meters per hour and serves 9,000 individuals by distributing desalinated water through tankers and two filling points. The total power demand of the plant is estimated at 32.5 kW to operate all components. A PV solar power generation system, with a capacity of 7.5 kW, is already installed for the operation of the two pumps required to pump the desalinated water to the filling points and tankers.
Within this project, two PV solar power generation systems will be installed one for the Maen booster pumping station with a capacity of 150 kW and one for Al Shouka Desalination Plant with a capacity of 25 kW. The proposed intervention, will positively impact the operation of the targeted facilities as it will maintain steady operation and water supply. The reliance on the unstable electricity utility grid and fuel supply for the power generator will decrease. Furthermore, Oxfam and CMWU estimate that the total savings in the emergency fuel cost will be 40,000 USD per year.