Assessment of Chemical Characteristics of the Desalinated Water Used in Household Facilities in Gaza Strip

Abstract

Access to safe water represents one of the most important basic human needs of the people of Palestine and is vital to a growing economy and a healthy population. Groundwater is the major source of water to the Palestinians. Nowadays, the water crisis in the Strip is multiplying.

The objective of this research is to make an assessment of the desalination plants for the chemical quality for both the inlet (groundwater) and the outlet water (product water) in the desalination plants. The adopted methodology depends on many approaches that were used in an integrated manner to achieve the objectives of this research. Samples from both the inlet and outlet water from 88 desalination plants have been collected by the researcher. The main chemical parameters have been analyzed in the inlet and outlet water of the desalination plants.

The study proved that the current private desalination monitoring program by the concerned authorities should be developed, enhanced and intensified. The study also revealed that the current private desalination plants were established randomly and for commercial purposes without any previous planning.

The results have revealed that 80% of the inlet water of the plants does not comply with the WHO guidelines, while 100% of the plants’ outlet water has chemical parameter concentrations accepted by the WHO guidelines.

Keywords: Groundwater, contamination, brackish water, desalination plants, Gaza Strip, chemical parameters.