Comparative socioeconomic study of greywater and cesspit systems in Ramallah, Palestine

Abstract

Palestinian rural and peri-urban communities represent more than 60 per cent of the total population but lack appropriate management of their wastewater. While most rural households are internally equipped with proper sanitation facilities, there is a problem with the way wastewater is discharged. Traditional cesspits are used for the collection of excreta, which often percolates into the surrounding soil and jeopardizes groundwater aquifers. Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) promote on-site sanitation for rural communities with emphasis on separation of blackwater and greywater (GW) and utilizing treated GW in garden irrigation. However, the implementation of GW systems is often limited by the availability of external funding, and most Palestinian communities have not reached a stage where they are able to implement GW systems with their own funding. This chapter studies the social and economic feasibility of existing GW systems and the public perceptions towards them in Western Ramallah villages. The researchers surveyed 30 households that use GW systems and 100 households that use traditional cesspits.