This research
aimed at understanding and describing the impacts of alternative
governmental policies on water supply and demand, poverty and income,
water quality and water-related eco systems, and food production and
food security, on public, and estimating and analyzing water poverty
index using various published methods.
To accomplish these objectives a field questionnaire and interviews have
been developed. The population of the questionnaire was the residents
of the West Bank. Interviews were held with persons from West Bank
Water Department, Palestinian Water Authority, and Municipalities. The
water poverty index was calculated using different approaches,
Conventional Composite Index, Holistic, Matrix and WPI Pentagram,Simple
Time Analysis, Falkenmark Water Stress. It was found based on results of
field survey that the best approach in estimating water poverty index
was the Holistic approach, the estimated water poverty index was WPI=
39.5 percent which indicates that the region faces a serious water
problem.
To analyze the results of the questionnaire, different statistical
techniques have been used. These include means, standard deviations, and
percentages, one way analysis of variance and Scheffe Post Hoc test,
and independent T test. The main findings of the research were:
1. Significant differences between mails and females in the consumptions
of water domain in favor to males.
2. Significant differences due to differences in the place of living
for consumption of water, health situation, and sanitation services
domains in favor to peoples living in cities. This may be due to the
fact that still there are some villages not connected to network, also
due to the economic situation for peoples living in villages and refugee
camps.
3. Significant differences due to differences in the number of families
in the house hold for the consumption of water and sanitation services
domains. No differences are shown for the other domains. It is found
that houses of one family consume less water than houses of two and
three families. For sanitation services it is found that houses of one
family have better services than houses of two and three families.
4. Significant differences due to differences in family members number
for: supply of water, consumption of water, health situation, and water
quality domains with favor to families of fewer members.
5. Significant differences due to differences in monthly income for:
supply of water, sanitation services, and water quality domains with
favor to higher monthly income.
6. No significant differences due to water percentage from monthly
income for all domains. It was found that 15.4% of people's sample pay
from 21-40% of their monthly income for water services which is a
considerable percentage.
7. According to the sample surveyed, it was found that the standard of
living was distributed according to the following categories as:
8. 46.3% of the sample surveyed was of better-off category,
9. 50.4% of the sample surveyed was of middle category,
10. 3.2% of the sample surveyed is of worse – off category.
11. Significant differences between existence of water tank and not for
all the domains with favor to house with water tank.
12. Still there are some regions not connected to safe water and
sanitation. As a consequence, water – and sanitation – related diseases
are spread there. About 20% of the sample members were affected by water
related diseases.
13. From the results of the interviews, it was found that the existing
tariffs do not encourage water conservation, and are generally
inadequate to recover operation and maintenance costs.
14. From the results of the interviews, it was found that the future
tariff structure (developed by PWA) did not take into consideration
those class of peoples whom can not pay for water.
15. Imports of virtual water on one hand could reduce agricultural water
and as a consequence could help in alleviating water scarcity (by
saving water for other purposes). But on the other hand could have
negative impacts on Palestinians economical situation.
16. Low water prices and subsides for capital investment and operation
and maintenance threaten the financial viability of irrigation and water
supply.
17. There is no role for private sector in management or expansion of
water sector services
18. The existing water allocation mechanisms are characterized as
inefficient and not clear as they are a continuation of the system
practiced before peace negotiation.
19. Clarifying and strengthening water rights can play an important role
in improving water allocation equity and efficiency, while a lack of
effective water rights systems creates major problems and inequities for
managing increasingly scarce water.
20. Making the water rights tradable may have disadvantages more than
benefits under the current situations.
21. Access to safe water is crucial for poor residents. Often women, the
poor, and disadvantaged groups, including minorities and indigenous
peoples, have unequal access to water, which can lead to even greater
increases in poverty.
22. Privatization of water sector could help in improving access to
water for the poor if privatization is done in a studied way.
23. Trade-off among multiple uses of water is possible if practiced
under complete control.
24. Under the current situation, no real control over the complete
system can be practiced, so policies and action regarding water
pollution and quality are difficult to implement.