Wednesday, February 15, 2012


The Unrecognized Communities Obtain Water In Two Ways




1- A Water Center. Photo 1.



  • Water Source:  A "water center" located near a legal village.  
  • Access:  Limitations are unknown. 
  • How: The villagers must independently transport the water back to their homes. 
  • Distance: Many kilometers (1 km = 0.6 miles).
  • Villagers per water center: Anywhere from 20-100 people use the water coming from one water meter.
  • Cost: Unknown.


2- A Roadside Water Pipe (Private Water Access Point).  Photo 2. 

  • Water Source: Roadside water pipe. 
  • Access:  Villagers may obtain permission from the water committee to establish this private access water point.  Permission is granted only if the applicant can substantiate "special humanitarian considerations" (term used by the Israeli Supreme Court's decision in Abadallah Abu Massad, et al. v. Water Commission & Israel Lands, Administration, 2011). 
  • How:  Unclear, but it is not a household connection, thus it appears that the villagers must independently transport the water back to their homes. 
  • Distance: Unknown, however the pipe is on the roadside. 
  • Villagers per private access point:  Many families.  
  • Cost: One person is responsible for collecting payment from other users and paying the water bill. 



Data and Photos obtained from the Harvard Kennedy School report by S. Murthy, M. Williams & E. Baskin:  The Human Right to Water in Israel: A Case Study of the Unrecognized Bedouin Villages in the Negev. Working Paper. January 10, 2011.  


-S.B.H

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