The Gaza Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) reported that 40% of the population does not have access to running water. The rest of the population receives running water every 3-4 days on average. Those residing in UNRWA shelters rely on water that is tanked in by CMWU. Access to running water improved over the last week due to repairs that were made to the network as well as improvements in availability of electricity supply. Electricity is needed to pump water to homes.

11, 2014. Abu Alaa lives in a three-story building that has six apartments, occupied by his five married sons and their families, 33 people in total, 21 of them children. He was forced to flee his house with his family, along with the residents of Beit Hanoun due to the Israeli attack. They took shelter in the Jabalya secondary school for boys, in Jabalya refugee camp, but returned to their bombed home because of harsh condition in the school. Since then they are living in their destroyed house without electricity, water and gas (Photo: Activestills)

CMWU estimated that the cost to repair damage to water and sewage infrastructure in Gaza runs upwards of $33 million. During the military operation, 63 water facilities were damaged, among them 23 that were completely destroyed. The network also suffered damage, including pipelines in cities as well as main lines transporting water and carrying away sewage between cities. The sole power station in Gaza was also damaged by airstrikes on two occasions and has been completely shut down since its fuel tanks and one turbine were hit on July 29. Technicians at the plant estimated that repairs would cost $10 million. If materials were allowed in in a timely manner, repairs could be done in a few months to the fuel tanks and thus restore power to two turbines that were not damaged.