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Palestine is currently and is projected to remain one of the most water-stressed nations in the world. Palestinian water resources are increasingly diminished, unusable, and contested by Israel. Key driving and complicating factors of the water scarcity crisis in Palestine include but are not limited to the following: Israeli weaponization of water, Israeli prevention of access to the Jordan River, severe and repeated droughts, over-exploitation of aquifers, pollution, salinization, poor infrastructure, and global climate change. Such realities necessitate creative, internally-driven and sustainable initiatives to more efficiently, effectively, and ultimately more responsibly utilize the limited water resources of Palestine.

The integrated wastewater and subsurface drip irrigation system in Wadi al-Arroub is one such initiative. Specifically, it aims to improve sanitation and reduce vulnerability to water scarcity through wastewater reuse for the approximately 15,000 people of Al-Arroub Refugee Camp and its surrounding rural areas of the Hebron Governate under jurisdiction of the Sa’ir Municipality.

Phase 1 (2011-2016) of the integrated water system was to construct and begin operation of the Al-Arroub Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Phase 1 was funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), designed by the Spanish Center of New Water Technologies (CENTA), and implemented by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) and the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ).

Phase 2 (current ongoing phase; 2017-2020) is to demonstrate and improve the social, environmental, and economic benefits that Al-Arroub WWTP yields to local people. Specifically, this phase aims to reduce plant operational costs, demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of a wastewater-based subsurface drip irrigation system (for pomegranate, almond, grape, and alfalfa), and begin to realize economic benefits to the community et large. Phase 2 is funded by the European Commission (EC) under the Sustainable Water Integrated Management (SWIM) Regional Technical Assistance Programme for the Southern Mediterranean and implemented by ARIJ.

I was hired to work on Phase 2 of the Al-Arroub WWTP Project as a short-term (9 week) Research Assistant in the Water and Environment Department of the Natural Resources Management Program of ARIJ. I worked primarily with Program Director Dr. Khaldoun Rishmawi, Department Head Jane Hilal, and Engineer Elias Abu Mohor.

Context

During my time at ARIJ, my efforts were predominantly focused on 5 deliverables and 4 activities.

Deliverables:1. Comparative Financial Analysis and Cost Projection of Sludge

Dewatering Technologies2. Operation, Laboratory, and Agricultural Manual and Record

Keeping Book3. Alfalfa Irrigation Scheduling Modeling and Analysis

(CROPWAT)4. Qualitative Analysis of Sludge Dewatering Technologies

(Contributor)5. Project Steering Committee Proposal (Contributor)

Activities1. Assisting in Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and

Agricultural Pilot (AP) Operation and Maintenance2. Collecting and Systematizing Operation, Lab, and AP Data.

Using this Information to Identify and Respond to Problems3. Assisting to Train Subcontractor to Conduct Daily Operations

and Information Collection4. Attending Stakeholder and Information Gathering Meetings

ScopeofWork

There were many challenges at baseline that made progress on overarching project goals difficult or slow. For example, the following were day-to-day challenges during my time at ARIJ:• Partner Failures• Design Failures• Mechanical Failures• Electricity Failures• Poor Infrastructure• Inadequate Funding• Excess Influent • Illegal Dumping• Channel Diversion• Unstable Quality• Accountability• Access to Information• IDF Interference• Cost of Materials

Challenges ResiliencyandSuccesses

The resiliency of civil society organizations such as ARIJ that aim to reach those furthest from the service provision mechanisms of the Palestinian Authority (PA), private sector, and/or United Nations under the extremely demanding circumstances is nothing short of astounding.

Despite the daunting and at times discouraging depth of challenges and while there is still a long road ahead, major strides were made in the following areas during my time at ARIJ:• Stabilizing WWTP and AP Operations• Regimenting WWTP and AP Monitoring• Draining Farms Once Flooded With Sewage• Preventing Sewage Backup Into Refugee Camp• Controlling Excess Influent• Developing and Improving Both Short-Term and Long-Term

Economic Sustainability and Risk Management Strategy

It is too early to assess the Al-Arroub Wastewater Treatment Plant and Agricultural Pilot as a story of success or failure. Its gains are tenuous and its setbacks are ever-changing. consequences for the community et large are significant. What are as undeniable as the challenges the project faces are the basic needs the project fills. As long as this project stands between 15,000 people and the lack of the basic human rights to water and sanitation, some level of success must be acknowledged.

SWATAnalysisforARIJ

ContactCameron Pulleycameronpulley@berkeley.edu

UniversityofCalifornia-BerkeleyMastersofDevelopmentPractice(UCBMDP)AppliedResearchInstitute-Jerusalem(ARIJ)

CameronPulley

IntegratedWastewaterManagementandSubsurfaceDripIrrigationinWadi al-Arroub,Palestine

Analysis:Dewatering/IrrigationScheduling

FieldWork:Operations

Practicum

FieldWork:Monitoring

Figure 1: Categorizations of Work

Strengths:SkilledandLoyalEmployeesStrongConnectionsand

ReputationAcrosstheWestBank

Weaknesses:ProjectSilo-ing InsideARIJ

DisconnectBetweenDifferentLevelsofManagement

Opportunities:LogisticalPartnershipsInfluencePostPhase2

Transition

Threats:DependencyonVolatile

ForeignAidFinancialDifficulties

SWAT

MethodologyDuring practicum, I was involved in a variety of sub-projects associated to the greater Al-ArroubWastewater Treatment Plant and Agricultural Pilot Project—each with its own methodology. Below this panel are copies of major deliverables inside which each has an accompanying methodology.