1. Prepared by: Husam Al-Najar Environmental Engineering Department The Islamic University of Gaza Gaza Strip. Gaza city, Al-Rimal P.O.Box. 108 WATER CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR IN SEMI – RURAL AREAS: BEIT LAHYA TOWN AS A CASE STUDY

2. Introduction Unaccounted-for water (UFW) is the difference between "net production" and "consumption" (the volume of water that can be accounted for by legitimate consumption, whether metered or not) Water loss levels (UFW) vary widely per country and within one country per city it's ranging from 6% to 63% AWWA Leak detection and Accountability Committee (1996) recommended 10% as a benchmark for UFW as the following: < 10% Acceptable. 10-25%, intermediate, could be reduced > 25% matter of concern, reduction needed

3. Statement of the problem Items2011 Population (Beit Lahya muncibility,2011) 72500 Total Municipal Water Production. (MCM)6.098 Total Municipal Water readings (MCM).2.827 Unaccounted for water %53.6% Per Capita Per Day (L/C/D)230-107

4. Research objectives Identify the main factors that lead to high UFW in Beit Lahya water distribution system. Study the influence of urban agriculture on high UFW in the water distribution system.

5. water network Losses in Summer (July- August) DistrictMeter readings (m 3 ) water supply quantity (m 3 ) loss % Salateen- Fardaus6436223400072.5 Al Atatra269727560064.3 Al Guraa al khamsa178003600050.6 Tal Eldahab190715280063.9 Abu Obida77371440046.3 Jamaea and Gaben4320612630065.8 Gawasma and Shimaa250154290041.7 AL Hatabea114382700057.6 AL Manshaea357587440051.9 El Maslakh and Magles233577830070.2 Sheikh Zayed6000013950057.0 Old Mashrua – Khazan and block 8 11066213230016.4 New Mashrua7869814980047.5 total consumption524076118330055.7

6. DistrictMeter readings (m 3 ) water supply quantity (m 3 ) loss % Salateen- Fardaus5930015000060.5 Al Atatra265005040047.4 Al Guraa al khamsa141492385040.7 Tal Eldahab151194305064.9 Abu Obida6100960036.5 Jamaea and Gaben401777095043.4 Gawasma and Shimaa192433120038.3 AL Hatabea101292160053.1 AL Manshaea301505385044.0 El Maslakh and Magles164484860066.2 Sheikh Zayed501597500033.1 Old Mashrua, Khazan & block 883550102,55018.6 New Mashrua621919940037.4 total consumption43321578010044.5 ` water network losses in Winter (January and February)

9. Percent of Agriculture in Beit Lahya districts

10. The field survey has been conducted for more than 650 households in the Municipality of Beit Lahya. The employees for reading Meters in Beit Lahya are three, distributed over 15 different districts of Beit Lahya. Old Mashrua has low UFW that reached 18.6% in Summer and 16.4% in Winter where highly dense area (no agriculture). Sheikh Zayed Semi-urban area has UFW accounted for 53% in Summer and 33% in Winter. (40.6% of the city boundary is agriculture areas) The zones that has high UFW such as Atatra, Salateen, Sheikh Zayed and El Maslakh and Magles zones are semi-urban areas. Conclusion

11. Thank you