Maarten A. Siebel Assoc. Professor of Environmental Biotechnology UNESCO-IHE DELFT, THE NETHERLANDS Maarten Siebel – UNESCO-IHE Dima Nazer – Technical college Hebron, Palestine FROM WATER SCARCITY TO SUSTAINABLE WATER USE IN THE WEST BANK, PALESTINE

The West Bank has, for political reasons, less water than is naturally available Total recharge 679 Mm 3 /year Palestinian abstraction 119 Mm 3 /year Israeli abstraction 648 Mm 3 /year Balance: - 88 Mm 3 /year (2006) and increasing due to population/economic growth

232 m 3 366m 3 300m 3 Israel USA Europe West Bank 50 m 3

Reducing material input and – thus – final disposal Material recycling of end-of-life product Recycling of production waste Re-use of product Resources Final disposal Production Product use

Wastewate r A pproach towards water use

Increasing material use efficiency resources products waste products products

Rain water harvesting systems Install dry toilets Grey water reuse systems Low flow shower heads and faucet aerators Prevent leakage Domestic water use

Process A Evaluate quality Used- water treatment Process BProcess C Evaluate quality Used- water treatment Water Raw material Product Used-water Minimum waste disposal Industrial water use

Expanding rain-fed agriculture Virtual water trade Changing cropping patterns according to water use Used-water reuse Efficient irrigation systems Water pricing Agricultural Water Use

In conclusion

Maarten A. Siebel