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Israeli policy's at fault. By appropriating and controlling Palestinian water sources, unequal distribution resulted. Systematic discrimination allocates most water to Israel, its settlements, and East Jerusalem's Jewish communities.
As a result, Palestinians have been gravely impacted. Around 313,000 people in 113 communities aren't connected to a water network. They depend on costly private sources delivered by truck. Another 50,000 in 151 communities have less than 30 liters per capita daily (lpcd).
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends minimally 100 lpcd. Average daily Palestinian consumption is 70 lpcd. Many communities get only 20. WHO calls it the minimum amount for "short-term survival" in emergency/disaster situations.
The inequality level between Jews and Arabs is appalling. Israel's Dead Sea Mitzpe Shalem and Qalya settlements consume about 700 lpcd. Beda'ot and Ro'i Jordan Valley settlements enjoy over 400 lpcd solely for household use.
Nearby Palestinian al-Hadidya village gets 22 lpcd. About 500,000 West Bank settlement Jews consume around six times more water than 2.5 million Palestinians. Including agricultural use, the disparity's much greater.
Israel appropriates 70% of Eastern Aquifer water. Palestinians without springs, wells and other natural sources must travel long distances for access or pay exorbitant privatized prices. In contrast, settlers enjoy plentiful supplies for drinking, irrigation, gardens, and swimming pools.
Around 1.6 million Gazans have one source only - the Coastal Aquifer's southern end. Israel denies importing water from natural supplies. To compensate, Palestinians over-used their one source at twice its annual sustainable yield. As a result, Gazan water quality experienced progressive deterioration.
While Gazans have marginally more water than West Bank Palestinians, 90 - 95% of it "is polluted by raw sewage and the infiltration of seawater, which is itself contaminated by raw sewage."
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