Water usage in the Gaza Strip: recommendations from a literature review and consultations with experts.
Water quality in the Gaza Strip has been severely compromised due to increasing salinity, contamination with pollutants, and lack of adequate treatment options. To provide the population of the Gaza Strip with advice on how to mitigate health risks from water we developed recommendations on using water from different sources for different purposes (such as for consumption, hygiene, amenities, and irrigation) based on a literature review and consultation with experts. Specific advice was developed for several vulnerable groups, including infants, children, pregnant or lactating women, and elderly people. The recommendations are inherently limited, as it is unacceptable to recommend consuming water that is of substandard quality. However, pending long-term solutions, information can be targeted to vulnerable groups to ensure that exposure to the most harmful contaminants is avoided. The implementation of these recommendations may require information campaigns to assist the population in differentiating water from different sources for different uses.
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Emily
E
MacDonald
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Bernardo Guzman
BG
Herrador
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Susanne
S
Hyllestad
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Vidar
V
Lund
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Karin
K
Nygård
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Line
L
Vold
World Health Organization, Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Mohamed
M
Lafi
World Health Organization, Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Walaa
W
Ammar
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Palestinian National Institute of Public Health, Occupied Palestinian Territory; World Health Organization, Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Bjørn
B
Iversen
D006801:Humans; D005104:Expert Testimony; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D014881:Water Supply; D008877:Middle East