Freshwater from natural sources are depleted in Palestine, and the coastal aquifer is the only water source for more than 1.8 million people in the Gaza Strip who consume nearly 170 million cubic meters per year, of which 90 million cubic meters for human consumption and 80 million cubic meters for agricultural consumption.
A statistical report drafted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on March 22, 2014, and published by the Palestinian News and Information Agency indicated that demographic development in Palestinian society has led to a rise in the demand for water, and that it is crucial to achieve the goals of sustainable development. The report states, “Limited water resources affect the quantity of water available, which was 349.2 million cubic meters in 2012. Of these, 56.6 million cubic meters were purchased from the Israeli water company, Mekorot, constituting 28% of the water supplied to domestic consumers, in addition to iniquitous pumping from the coastal aquifer in the Gaza Strip that reached 130 million cubic meters.”
