Blue Deal Palestinian Territories

Period

2020 – 2030
Region

MENA

Services overview

WOP partner who worked on this project

WOP partners

Palestinian Water Authority

Palestinian Territories

Tackling water sector gaps in thr Palestinian Territories' North Hebron and Salfit through technical support, capacity building, and policy reform

The water sector in Palestine faces serious challenges. Access to quality water is limited by political and economic constraints. The system is fragmented, with more than 300 service providers, and suffers from poor infrastructure, high water losses, and low revenue collection. These problems lead to unreliable services and reduce the public’s willingness to pay, putting long-term sustainability at risk.

The Blue Deal partnership addresses these challenges by sharing Dutch expertise in merging small service providers into larger, more efficient utility companies. It also supports local stakeholders through training, workshops, and practical tools to improve their ability to manage, operate, and maintain water and wastewater services. This includes building technical knowledge, introducing innovative technologies, and strengthening management capacity. The aim is to deliver more reliable and sustainable wastewater transport, treatment, and reuse, while protecting water sources and improving water delivery.

This partnership works to improve operational efficiency, reduce untreated wastewater, and strengthen decentralised wastewater treatment, revenue generation, and reuse. It also builds the capacity of local stakeholders through targeted training, practical workshops, and the introduction of innovative technologies. These activities help develop the skills and knowledge needed to operate, maintain, and manage water and wastewater services effectively.

By strengthening local institutions and promoting best practices in water governance, the project supports the Palestinian Water Authority’s wider reform agenda under the 2014 Water Law. The partnership focuses on the municipalities of the North Hebron area and the Salfit Governorate, aiming to secure sustainable access to safe and sufficient water.

Overall, the initiative combines knowledge sharing, capacity building, and innovation to improve service quality and ensure the long-term sustainability of Palestine’s water sector.

Capacity-building workshops and seminars Peer-to-peer knowledge exchanges and mentorship Skills development for water governance, operations, and finance Maturity level scan Governance framework development Trusted advisor & catalyser Inclusion - Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Water cycle management Water safety & quality Sanitation (WASH) Climate resilience and mitigation Research & innovation Performance improvement Non-revenue water loss Digitalisation/GIS Data and sensoring E-learning Governance billing

The partnership supported the Palestinian Water Authority in building strong, autonomous regional water utilities to improve the operation and maintenance of wastewater services.

Key results include:

Infrastructure expansion – Extended sewer networks and increased laboratory capacity for water quality monitoring.
Water source protection – Identified and safeguarded new water sources through rainwater harvesting and reuse initiatives.
Planning and strategy – Developed investment proposals, decentralised wastewater strategies, and water safety plans.
Financial sustainability – Improved the financial performance of service providers to ensure long-term viability.
Community and private sector engagement – Strengthened local participation and enhanced cooperation with private sector partners.