|
Trending Topics
|
USAID Inaugurates New Water Pipeline in West Bank
(USAID) On Dec. 17, at a ceremony in Halhoul in the West Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Palestinian Water Authority announced the opening of the new Deir Sha'ar pipeline which will serve as the backbone of the southern West Bank's water infrastructure. "This is a very important accomplishment that will impact thousands of Palestinian families who will now have access to clean water in their homes," said USAID West Bank and Gaza Mission Director Dave Harden. This project replaced the existing pipeline with a much larger 30-inch transmission line, and installed 13 km. of network pipes. The old Deir Sha'ar pipeline lost nearly half of its water due to leaks. The new pipeline transmits more water without any losses. In addition, the new pipeline is equipped with remote sensors that enable the Palestinian Authority to detect any illegal taps or tampering. Since 2000, USAID has invested more than $300 million for hundreds of water and wastewater projects in the West Bank and Gaza. These included 900 km. of water pipelines; building or renovating 28 reservoirs; drilling or renovating 29 wells; connecting 130,000 Palestinians to running water for the first time; and providing improved access to clean water to more than one million people.