Response to the urgent WASH humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip The aim of this project is to provide life-saving emergency WASH preparedness and response to the entire population of the Gaza Strip. This will be achieved through the provision of critical spare parts and specialized services for repairs and refurbishment of water and wastewater facilities to substantially reduce the risks of public health deterioration and environmental pollution.

The recent internal political situation regarding the electricity supply, have further exacerbated the WASH situation to unprecedented levels, as a maximum of 2 to 4 hours a day of power supply is provided to Gaza strip. This power crisis, going along with the services deterioration, has put extra burdens on Gaza people, and led the households to prioritise the income for other essential needs such as domestic water, food and shelter, which will reduce the access to drinking water and basic hygiene items. In some areas (Jabalia West, Al-Shata Camp, Al-Nusairat, Alamal Khanyounis amp East Kahnyounis, East Rafah), the quantity of water provided is far below WHO recommendation, with less than 50L/c/d. With the coming summer season, the situation will continue to deteriorate 
Moreover, the suspension of the World Bank funding to the CMWU is affecting their water disinfection program covering the entire Gaza Strip, in addition to the WASH facilities repair needs further deteriorated by the current electricity crisis, and the repeated damages incurred from the past escalations of violence. This leads to health and environmental risks in many areas in the Gaza Strip as the chlorine stocks have been fully utilized and service contracts for the spare parts of WASH facilities have been suspended. According to a joint assessment by the CMWU and UNICEF, 280 water wells, 48 desalination units, 34 pumping facilities and reservoirs have been identified as WASH facilities requiring urgent supplies, where over one million people are estimated to be at risk due to the lack of operation and maintenance of critical water and wastewater facilities.

The above mentioned situation places over one million of the population of the Gaza strip, particularly children, at serious public health risk and subjects them to environmental contamination, with increased prevalence of diarrhea, hepatitis A, meningitis, etc.

This project will thus, procure the required spare parts and carry out the urgent repairs of 158 electric power supply generators, 40 water production wells, 10 pumping facilities,20 wastewater lifting stations, 3 wastewater treatment plants, as well as 10 service heavy machineries including water tankers, vacuum trucks and jetting equipment. This project is aligned with the current Gaza WASH Cluster Response Framework and Plan for the response to Summer 2017, aiming at support WASH infrastructure functions (activity #2)

The specific objectives of this project are the following: 
1. To ensure that the operation and maintenance of the most critical water and sanitation facilities are undertaken (Strategic Objective 1, 2) 
2. To support the national water service provider to prevent hazards effects and respond to risks (Strategic Objective 2) 
3. To ensure preparedness and response activities through a comprehensive approach (Strategic Objective 1, 3)