Better water management and renewable energy production

Access to drinking water is a major issue in the northern West Bank, which is under severe water stress. The resources allocated to the Palestinians under the Oslo II Agreement (1995) are insufficient to meet the growing demand for access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The Palestinian Authority considers the improvement of drinking water supply and access to sanitation as a priority. The implementation of the water reform voted in 2014 requires, in particular, the strengthening of the capacities of local operators to enable the provision of efficient and sustainable services.

In the energy sector, the Palestinian Territories, which import 98% of its electricity from Israel, aims to reduce this dependence by increasing its production of renewable energy. At the household level, energy represents an average of 30% of the water bill, or NIS 1.60 (€0.36)/m3 of water consumed.

The "Nexus North" project combines an innovative approach to investment in the water and renewable energy sectors. This project is part of the joint strategy with the European Union to help provide equitable and sustainable access to drinking water, sanitation and energy services. The water and sanitation element of the Nexus North project includes the expansion and improvement of drinking water networks, inter alia, construction of new reservoirs, and connections to the sewerage network.  A hybrid renewable energy system (two wind turbines and small solar power plants with a capacity of 3.7 MW) will be designed to operate synchronously with the drinking water network, the wells and pumping stations of which are energy intensive. Substantial savings will thus be achieved in service management.

Finally, emphasis will be placed on strengthening the capacities of the two intermunicipal water and sanitation management unions, the contracting authority.

The project will improve the living conditions of the populations of the two districts concerned by facilitating access to water and sanitation. An additional 20,000 people will benefit from a drinking water supply service, and 3,000 will benefit from a sanitation service. Newly connected households to drinking water will see a decrease in the proportion of their budget allocated to water expenditure. The work will have a positive impact on the quality of the natural environment and groundwater resources. Finally, the production