Wastewater Effluent Transport and Contamination: A Model for Groundwater Contamination in the Central West Bank

Two and a half billion people worldwide lack access to improved sanitation. Untreated wastewater contaminates surface water and groundwater sources that may be used for drinking water supply. This critical global issue is foundational to health and development. The Palestinian West Bank is one of the most water-stressed regions on earth with widespread, unregulated wastewater discharge from more than half of all homes resulting in 25 to 97.5 mcm/year. Contaminants have been detected in varying quantities in aquifers, streams, and springs throughout the West Bank. This research provides a gross estimate of the volume of wastewater entering water sources in a 1600 sq. km region between Jerusalem and Jericho and identifies possible contamination hotspots where local Palestinian populations are at risk of contamination through direct water use (drinking, washing) or indirect use (agriculture). This problem is approached using a combination of mapping using geographical information systems (GIS) and groundwater modeling with the MODFLOW and MT3DMS computer codes.M.S., Environmental Engineering -- Drexel University, 201