Watergen helps Gaza deal with its growing water problem

Three water from air units were installed in Gaza health care organizations

The Gaza Strip’s main source of water is the Coastal Aquifer, where groundwater is stored for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use. The aquifer is currently pumped three times beyond its sustainable yield, rainwater cannot seep properly into the ground due to urbanization, saline water is infiltrating the aquifer and the water supply pipes are not adequately sealed. A 2015 WHO report showed that 96.4% of the water produced for the area is unfit for human use.
In line with the views of Watergen’s president, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili that “we must be kind to our neighbors, even helping them before we help others around the world”, Watergen has made several donations of AWG products to Gaza, in cooperation with other generous groups and entities.

The first installation of a water-from-air device was made in February 2020, when the 780-kg GEN-M, with a capacity to provide as much as 800 liters of clean water per day, was delivered to the Gazan neighborhood of Abasan al-Kabira. The pilot project – a result of efforts between Israel’s Arava Institute for Environmental Studies and the Palestinian NGO Damour for Community Development – ensured the delivery of fresh drinking water to the municipal building,
In May 2020, Watergen installed a water-from-air device in Al-Rantisi pediatric hospital in Gaza. This project was the direct result of a collaboration between Watergen and the water and power Palestinian company, Mayet Al Ahel. The hospital staff and patients were given access to clean and safe off-grid drinking water.

The third installation was made in August 2020, when a GEN-L device was shipped by Watergen to the second largest hospital in Gaza, the Nasser Medical Center in Khan Younis. Up until then, the hospital was forced to truck in drinking water from external sources. The AWG now produces 5,000 liters of precious fresh, unpolluted drinking water for hospital staff and patients every day. Since Gaza also suffers from an on-going electrical crisis, solar panels were installed on the AWG to remove its dependence on electrical power.

Watergen will continue to work with its neighbors in the Middle East to try and better the lives of the local populations.