Evaluation of Microbiological Quality of Desalinated Water at Gaza City Schools, Palestine

Abstract

Gaza Strip is an elongated strip located at southeastern coast of Palestine with total area of about 365 km² with approximately 40 km long and the width varies from 8 km in the north to 14 km in the south. Gaza City is the biggest cities in Gaza Strip and has an area of approximately 55km² with about 500,000 people forms about 30% of total Gaza strip residence. The Area has very limited water resources. Groundwater is the main source for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes. Over abstraction of the groundwater leaded to sea water intrusion which increases salinity of the groundwater by time. Water resources are deteriorating in terms of quantities and quality which led to establish small business scale desalination plants to treat and distribute desalinated water by trucks for most of Gaza strip areas and schools. The aims of this research are to check if there is microbiological contamination at desalinated water at Gaza City schools, to determine the source of contamination if any, and to determine the difference between drinking water microbiological quality between schools moderated by Ministry of High Education (MOHE) and schools moderated by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Some of 130 school buildings have been selected and the data evaluated for the periods from the year 2009 to 2011. Results indicated significant microbiological contamination in the desalination plants inlet and in schools water tanks. The origin of this contamination is believed to animal origin. About 50.0% of monitored schools at East Directorate, 83.3% of monitored schools at West Directorate and 60.0% of monitored schools at UNRWA were contaminated. Contaminated schools after follow-up has decreased, it were 16.7% at East, 50% at West and 40% at UNRWA schools.

Keywords: Gaza Strip, Palestine, Contamination, Desalination plants.