Author: Fanack Water Editorial Team
Water Supplies in Ruins
As a ceasefire takes hold in Gaza, the scale of water and sanitation devastation is staggering. Nearly nine out of ten water and wastewater facilities are damaged or destroyed. Most households cannot access safe water. Groundwater has been contaminated by raw sewage, and the few remaining desalination units struggle to function, lacking power and essential parts (Daily Sabah, NRC).
The latest humanitarian reports warn of catastrophic dehydration and a rapid spread of waterborne diseases. Children in large parts of Gaza walk for hours to find just a few liters of unsafe water. Hospitals are forced to ration water for surgeries and cleaning (Al Jazeera, Red Cross).
Aid Surge and First Recovery Steps
The ceasefire allows a large aid surge. Hundreds of truckloads of bottled water, treatment chemicals, and repair supplies can now flow into Gaza each day, coordinated by the UN and international agencies. Workers are clearing rubble from main thoroughfares and restoring the first pipelines. Humanitarian teams are ready to repair broken wells and water tanks, though many roads remain impassable (CNN, UN News, DW).
However, officials and aid agencies say that restoring basic water and sanitation will require much more than aid supplies. Egypt has pledged to lead a coalition of donors, engineers, and water experts to get drinking water systems operational again. Plans include emergency fixes, desalination upgrades, and rebuilding decentralized water and wastewater plants (Daily News Egypt).
Huge Needs, Escalating Costs
The scale of destruction means reconstruction will take years and billions of dollars. Immediate emergency repairs are estimated at $664 million, specifically to get water, trucking, and sanitation supplies to people in greatest need. Long-term rebuilding of climate-resilient water and sewage infrastructure, including reliable energy and resilient desalination, is expected to cost more than $2 billion (Daily Sabah). The broader reconstruction price tag for Gaza’s infrastructure could reach $80 billion (Reuters).
Charting the Path Forward
Experts warn that Gaza’s reconstruction must avoid top-down approaches that sidelined local engineers and scientists in earlier recovery efforts. Regional water leaders, like Egypt, are advocating for robust Palestinian participation and for upstream solutions—combining desalination, decentralization, and safe wastewater reuse (Nature, Al Jazeera, CSIS).
International donors and the UN are planning a Gaza Reconstruction Conference to coordinate resources, encourage innovation, and secure a fair process. Funding will be channeled through Arab and global partners, with water and sanitation flagged as an urgent priority (Egypt Daily News, DW).