Print), 2369-5994 (Online) Copyright © the Author(S)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Ghanem, M. et al. The Canadian Journal for Middle East Studies July 2017, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 78- 92 ISSN: 2369-5986 (Print), 2369-5994 (Online) Copyright © The Author(s). 2017. All Rights Reserved Published by Institute for Middle East Studies, Canada DOI: Socio - Economic - Environmental Impact on Spring water in Western Ramallah Catchments Marwan Ghanem*, Waseem Ahmad**, Farah Sawaftah***, and Yacoub Keilan**** *Birzeit University, P.O.Box 14, Ramallah - Palestine, [email protected] **Ministry of Health, Ramallah - Palestine, [email protected] ***Ministry of Agriculture, Ramallah - Palestine, [email protected] ****Ministry of Agriculture, Ramallah - Palestine, [email protected] Abstract The socio economic environmental impact of using the spring water in the Central Western Ramallah - Palestine Catchments was studied. The study concentrated on the villages that contains large discharge springs in the catchments. A total of 152 questionnaires were filled and analyzed in a field survey campaign during December month 2015. The study targeted questions related to socio economic, land use area around the springs, the situation of the springs and discharge quantities. The questionnaires have been analyzed through SPSS Statistics program. As a result, access to these springs is challenging and at times may even be dangerous. As most of the springs are located at some distance from residential areas they are also not located near cesspits which are the common form of wastewater disposal in rural areas. Pesticides and fertilizers used on agricultural land in the vicinity of spring was ranked first as a pollution source, followed by human activities namely recreation around the springs and wastewater. The majority of the respondents believe that most of the factors affecting springs are man-made or / and natural. The vast majority of the respondents report using spring discharge for agricultural purposes and almost half of them reported that over 15 persons benefit from the spring. Responses widely varied in relation to the average annual income from agricultural activities. Less than one-fifth of the sample sell their products on a wide scale, the majority cultivate the land either for self-sufficiency or for some additional income. The majority of the respondents noted that springs have a positive impact on social relations.. Keyword: Socio-economy, Spring Water, West Bank, Ramallah, Palestine 78 The Canadian Journal for Middle East Studies Vol2 (1) July 2017 *Corresponding author: Ghanem, M. Birzeit University, P.O.Box 14, Ramallah - Palestine, [email protected] Received March 22, 2017; Accepted Jul 17, 2017; Published 24, August 2017 Citation: Ghanem, M. et al(2017) Socio - Economic - Environmental Impact on Spring water in Western Ramallah Catchments. CJMES 2:77-.92 doi: Copyright: © 2017 Ghanem, M. et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. 79 Ghanem, M. et al. Introduction In general, water is the most 2010) (UN, 2008) (UN, 2010). In spite important element of life on earth, of that, the correlation between depending on this fact, there is a great population and water resources had been struggle to control and acquire sufficient changed due to several reasons such as sources of drinking water. The semiarid socioeconomic including increased climate in most of Middle East regions population, urbanization, and economic increases the problem of secure potable development (Biswas, 1970). Springs are water sources to meet the people needs. one of the groundwater forms which are However, people overtime inhabited discharging relatively good quality water areas nearby water resources in order to into earth surface making flowing use them for domestic, agriculture, and streams end. Palestine is considered as livestock purposes (McCool et al., one of these countries that has scarce 2008). Depending on that, the population potable surface water resources, despite increased from 1.3 billion in 1900 to 6.9 that, it has sufficient reserves of drinking billion in 2010 with increase of 50% in water as groundwater. urban areas (Klein Goldewijk et al., Various violations regarding water However, about 90% of the Israeli sector such as: destruction of 78 discharged wastewater are raw without groundwater wells, 150 water ponds, any treatment toward the Palestinian 43000 meter of water distribution lines, agricultural lands (MoEA, 2000). In the and about 2500 dunums of irrigation other hand, the Palestinian unconnected network (MoA, 2001). Moreover, about houses to the sewage network 20 villages are suffering from potable represented about 66% who were water shortage due to Israeli control depending on cesspits (PCBS, 2015). In points (MoEA, 2001). Another spite that water quality of springs outside freshwater problem is related to the communal villages in Natuf basin is anthropogenic pollution that is considered to be good, about 43% of the represented by solid wastes, air pollution springs in Natuf basin were etc. Wastewater is the most pollution contaminated with wastewater which are source could adversely affect nearby the Israeli colonies (Ghanem, groundwater quality that indicated by the 2013) (Shalash and Ghanem, 2007). distributed springs through mountains. Study Area The study area of this study is Sarida 740 mm/year, January is the coldest and Natuf catchments which are located month with minimum average at western Central part of the catchments temperature of 6.2 °C, where August is of the West Bank. With Mediterranean the higher average temperature of 39.1 climate type and rainfall average of 570- °C. The total average of relative 80 The Canadian Journal for Middle East Studies Vol2 (1) July 2017 humidity is 62% and increases up to lower at dry season. Therefore, it is 67% in winter (Khatib, 2008). The study important to exploit these discharged area is located within the western aquifer water amounts which most of them are which is considered as the actually not exploited and going in vain. Cennomanian-Turonian Limestone The total number of springs in the study aquifer (Issar, 2000). These two area are 52 springs where 32 springs are catchments have seasonal flowing located in Sarida catchment and the streams (Wadis) where the springs have other 19 springs in Natuf catchment more discharging rates at wet season and (Figure1) Figure 1: The study area location in the West Bank. Methodology The socio economic environmental springs in the catchments. The study impact of using the spring water in the targeted the villages of Deir Ibzai, Ein Natuf and Sarida Catchments were Areek, Ajjul, Jilijliya, Bruqin, Dura al studied. The study concentrated on the Qar, Atara, Deir as Sudan, Deir Ammar, villages that contains large discharge Ein Qiniya, Abwein, Beit Rima, Abud, 81 Ghanem, M. et al. Al Mazara'a al Gharbiya and Beitillu. A marked. The questionnaires have been total of 152 questionnaires were filled analyzed through SPSS Statistics and analyzed in a field survey campaign program; a software package used for during December month 2015. The study statistical analysis. The survey results targeted questions related to socio created a clear vision about the economic, land use area around the significance of socio - economic - springs, the situation of the springs and environmental impact of using the spring discharge quantities. The rehabilitation water in the Sarida catchment. processes of the springs were studies and Discussions and Analyses A total of 152 questionnaires were employees either in the public or private filled out in the targeted areas in the sectors. More than 50% of the Governorates of Ramallah and Salfit. respondents are farmers. The majority of Although Palestinian women play an the respondents reported having one important role in the management of family member unemployed, noting that their household water resources of less 60% of the respondents reported having than 11% of the respondents were one unemployed member and 40% in the females. Almost 60% of the sample have Jilijliya village of have more than 3 a family with more than 6 members, unemployed members. It is noted that nearly 29% have a family of 4 - 6 the vast majority of the respondents have members while 12% have a small family an income over 4000 NIS (1200 US$), of 1 - 3 members. The majority of the with a particular exception of those from respondents having primary or Atara, Abwein and Ein Arik villages of secondary academic achievements. which 40% or more earn an income Results show that the majority of the ranging between 2000 and 3000 NIS sample are employed. While over half (550 and 800 US$). are farmers, over one-third are challenging and at times may even be dangerous. Almost two-thirds of the General Information respondents reported harassment of settlers near the springs. This was Nearly 40% of the respondents particularly an issue in Jilijliya, Bruqin, reported that spring(s) in their area Dura al Qar, Ein Qiniya, Abud and Al discharge between rocks while over 50% Mazara'a al Gharbiya villages. Wastes receive discharge from a pipe or canal. generated in settlements are in general All the respondents reported in having not disposed in the vicinity of the one spring to three springs. Most of the springs except for Bruqin and Ein Qiniya springs are publicly owned with the villages. As most of the springs are exception of those located in Jilijliya, Al located at some distance from residential Mazara'a al Gharbiya and Beitillu areas they are also not located near villages which are mostly family. Most cesspits which are the common form of of the springs are near settlements and as wastewater disposal in rural areas. The a result access to these springs is majority of respondents in Jilijliya, Deir 82 The Canadian Journal for Middle East Studies Vol2 (1) July 2017 Ammar, Beit Rima and Al Mazara'a al of Bruqin village complained from Gharbiya villages referred to the difficult contamination while 9% of those in Ein accessibility due to lack of infrastructure Qiniya village noted that wild pigs pose as a main challenge.