The Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) finish the project “Grey Water Treatment” in south Hebron
Hebron – UAWC finished the project titled “Grey Water Treatment Units (GWTU)”, funded by Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in collaboration with Oxfam Italy, in Khallet Al-Hajar area northeast Yatta town south of Hebron.
Engineer Sayel Atawneh, the project coordinator, indicated that the project included 14 families in Khallet Al-Hajar community, in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron province. However, the project aims to collect grey water (wastewater generated from domestic activities except black water) for use after recycling it within the processing unit to be used to irrigate the planted plants suitable for livestock grazing through irrigation system.
Atawneh revealed that the project aimed also to reduce the negative environmental and health impacts resulted from converting this water to sewerage, and hence provide a fodder source for livestock for grazing (cactus, acacia, lotus, Qatif). These are drought-resistant plants that can be easily consumed by animals/ that are desirable for animals. The project also provides a water source for agricultural due to the fact that this area suffered from drought during the previous years.
Atawneh announced that the implementation of the project is compatible with the surrounding circumstances in the area. In other words, it is a drought area with no sewerage and no plants, and thus the residents depend on livestock. He added that the residents of the area encourage this kind of projects, especially in using the treated grey water in irrigating the plants that are suitable for livestock grazing.
The residents of the area explained that the project provides a water source as the region suffers from drought for several years without having a water network, where the residents depend mainly on cisterns and water tanks. This project makes it easier for them to live and enhance their presence on their land, which contribute to the protection of lands from confiscation, since there are constant attempts by the Israeli Occupation Authorities to evacuate the area’s residents. Not to mention that the majority of the area’s residents depend on sheep farming, while others work as workers inside the Green Line.
The project included building wastewater network, processing unit and planting grass which works on treating the grey water by 33%. It also included irrigation network with its supplies, planting plants for livestock grazing with fences to protect the land, in addition to providing a training program for the beneficiaries on how to manage and maintain the unit and how to analyze water samples.
This project comes within the UAWC’s objectives in improving the standards of living of small farmers, strengthening their steadfastness on their land, and supporting small-scale farmers and their families.