Title: Governing the reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation: the case study of Jericho, Palestine

Authors: Nasser Al-Khatib; Jawad A.H. Shoqeir; Gül Özerol; Linda Majaj

Addresses: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Al-Quds University, Palestine ' Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Soil and Hydrology Research, Al-Quds University, Palestine ' Department of Governance and Technology for Sustainability, University of Twente, The Netherlands ' Water and Environmental Development Organization, Bethlehem, Palestine

Abstract: Wastewater reuse in irrigation provides additional water supply for agriculture and saves freshwater resources for human consumption. Through these benefits, wastewater reuse can significantly alleviate the water scarcity in Palestine and fit to the complexity of the geopolitical context. However, the governance of reusing treated wastewater in Palestine is understudied. The paper bridges this knowledge gap by outlining the governance factors that influence the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation in Palestine. Jericho was selected as the case study site, given its significant role for agricultural production in Palestine. Based on interviews and document reviews that were carried out using a governance assessment tool, three governance-related factors are identified: 1) weak coherence among the actors, reflected in overlapping and unclear responsibilities; 2) low extent and coherence of legal instruments, indicated by the absence of laws and by overlapping and conflicting provisions; 3) low extent of resources, such as appropriate infrastructure.

Keywords: wastewater treatment; wastewater reuse; water governance; governance assessment; water law; Jericho; Palestine; treated wastewater; irrigation; case study; water supply; agricultural production; agriculture; water scarcity; responsibilities; infrastructure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGENVI.2017.083424

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2017 Vol.16 No.1/2/3, pp.135 - 148

Received: 06 Aug 2016
Accepted: 03 Sep 2016
Published online: 29 Mar 2017 *

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