Brackish Water Desalination is the Merely Potable Water Potential in the Gaza Strip: Prospective and Limitations

Due to the increasing of salinity and nitrate in the groundwater aquifer, most of the water-relevant institutions in Gaza strip rely on brackish water desalination for drinking purposes. The study aims to evaluate the small-scale brackish water desalination plants in the Gaza strip and to highlight its environmental impacts. Samples of water from inlet and outlet for 43 local desalination plants were collected and analyzed in Water Laboratory of Palestinian Ministry of Health. Chloride, Ca and HCO3¯ were measured by Titration while EC, TDS and pH were determined using electrode and NO3¯ by spectrophotometer. Analyzed results have been compared with WHO standards, the parameters such as; TDS, Cl, Ca and NO3 in the outlet were lower than WHO limits in most desalination plants. Results indicate that TDS concentration in most of desalination plants (outlet) ranges from 61-120 mg L-1, while, Cl, Ca and NO3