Gaza Municipality Warns One Million People Face Severe Water Shortages as Infrastructure Collapses
Gaza Municipality Warns One Million People Face Severe Water Shortages as Infrastructure Collapses
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Gaza Municipality has warned that nearly one million residents and displaced people are facing severe water shortages as the city’s infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Recent international reports say destruction of water systems, fuel shortages, extreme heat, and delays in reconstruction have deepened the crisis.
Gaza Municipality has warned of a worsening water crisis in the city, saying nearly one million residents and displaced people are suffering from severe shortages due to widespread destruction of infrastructure and the sharp decline in available supplies.
In a statement, the municipality said Gaza City is facing its most critical water crisis since the start of the war. Available water supplies have dropped by 70 percent, with daily production falling to about 30,000 cubic meters, compared with an estimated need of 100,000 cubic meters per day.
The municipality said attacks have destroyed around 85 percent of central water wells, leaving 72 wells out of service. More than 150,000 meters of water distribution networks have also been damaged, while the main desalination plant, which previously supplied about 10 percent of the city’s needs, has stopped operating.
The crisis has forced thousands of residents to wait for hours to obtain water. In many areas, the daily share per person ranges between 10 and 20 liters, far below the internationally recommended minimum of 80 to 100 liters.
Recent reports from international media and UN-linked sources indicate that the crisis extends across the Gaza Strip. The Associated Press reported that nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s water infrastructure has been destroyed, including desalination and sewage-treatment facilities, and that around 80 percent of residents now depend on water delivered by trucks.
The Guardian also reported that some areas receive as little as six liters of clean water per person per day, while damage to infrastructure and attacks affecting water workers have further weakened repair and distribution efforts.
The situation has been worsened by summer heat. Reuters reported that displaced residents have been seeking relief in the polluted Mediterranean Sea as overcrowded tents, scarce clean water, and collapsed sewage systems leave families with few safe options.
The municipality warned that continued shortages of fuel and spare parts could shut down the remaining wells and pumping stations, further worsening humanitarian, health, and environmental conditions.
The crisis is also linked to delays in Gaza’s reconstruction and governance transition. The Financial Times reported that most of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents remain displaced and lack basic necessities, including clean water and healthcare, while political and security disputes continue to stall reconstruction efforts.
Gaza Municipality called for the urgent entry of fuel, equipment, and spare parts needed to operate water facilities and repair damaged infrastructure in order to maintain water services and ease the deepening humanitarian crisis.
