Perception of House Onsite Grey Water Treatment and Reuse in Palestinian Rural Areas

Abstract

House onsite treatment of grey water and reuse of treated effluent for irrigating crops are increasingly accepted and practiced in Palestinian rural developments as more than 600 units are operational. The main goal of this research was to assess the impact of those systems on the environment, health, and the Palestinian society and economy through field survey in Qebia village where 47 house onsite sanitation systems were recently implemented. The results revealed that the biggest incentive for applying this system is the reuse of treated grey water for irrigation purposes, which is socially accepted. The application of those systems is currently limited and tied to the availability of external funds. The main concerns people have over the constructing of those house onsite systems are health risks, flooding, and odour emission. Accordingly, the concept of house onsite wastewater management systems is very promising, but provision of proper technical solutions is very important