The Government of Finland is supporting the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) in the implementation of several investment projects financed by the World Bank and other donors, by providing both technical assistance and direct financing to the PWA. The Finnish support is used to manage and supervise the investment programmes. The main focus of the programme is to improve the supply of safe drinking water as well as better sanitation services in the southern West Bank and the Gaza. Strip.

On the 14th of September a Steering Committee meeting was held between the Palestinian Water Authority officials and the Finnish Representative Office officials together with technical advisors during which the parties concerned discussed the project implementation issues. The project was found to be well on track.

The aim of the project is to complete the drilling and equipping of 4 wells in the Bani Na’im area; equipping the existing East Herodian well #2; installing five transmission pipelines systems and related reservoirs to convey additional water throughout the southern area of West Bank; and rehabilitating and extending water distribution networks for high priority municipalities and villages that are seriously effected by water shortages.

In the Gaza Strip the focus is on wastewater treatment plants because wastewater infiltrates to the aquifer and pollutes the groundwater making the amount and quality of water resources compared to the need of inhabitants critical.