Posted on 02/24/2008 7:01:30 PM PST by ricks_place
Six months ago, a water pumping station - part of a system that serves 60 per cent of the population in Gaza - opened right next to my home. We were pleased to hear of this development as we previously had no other option but to dump our untreated sewage in water wells.
This had posed an immense health hazard to all members of the community.
So when we heard that our sewage would now be treated and we would no longer have to dump our waste near our homes, we were very relieved.
The new station receives up to 40,000 cubic metres of waste water every day, and it should pump 120 cubic metres an hour through each of six water pumps.
However, only three pumps were installed in the station because the Israeli closure and blockade since June 2007 had prevented the essential parts needed to build the remaining three from entering Gaza.
Power cuts have also been affecting the efficiency of the station. The emergency generator is not functioning well as it requires maintenance and spare parts are lacking. The limited amount of fuel that is let into Gaza is not enough to run the generator for long hours.
Toxic waste
"What disgusts me is that this could all have been prevented had the Israelis opened one checkpoint to allow the spare parts and fuel through."
Last summer, the station could not cope with the high volume of sewage, which was ultimately diverted to a nearby grove where the community had planted their olive trees and other crops. If you have seen an olive tree you will know that it is a hardy plant which can bear fruit even in the desert.
But since the diversion, all of the crops in that grove - including some 100 olive trees - died as a result of the toxic waste that was being pumped into the land.
The sewage continues to flow there to this day. The crops cultivated in this grove used to provide a source of income and food for the neighbourhood. Now the entire area has become a wasteland.
This station was supposed to be a blessing for the neighbourhood but it turned out to be a curse, a health hazard for us all.
Sewage water is filling the streets surrounding the station and flooding nearby houses.
The stench is unbearable.
Tenants in ground floor flats were forced to move in with neighbours on higher floors. People are now using sand bags to absorb the sewage water which continues to seep into their houses.
The amount of children who have been taken ill has increased considerably. Cases of diarrhea are mounting by the day. Even now, children continue to play outside amongst the raw sewage – where else can they go?
And we are now facing a public health crisis.
What disgusts me is that this could all have been prevented had the Israelis opened one checkpoint to allow the spare parts and fuel through.
Huh?! No other option?
“we previously had no other option but to dump our untreated sewage in water wells.”
Well, if they don’t want to wallow in sewage water, they better start dumping their untreated sewage in the water wells again, like he claims they did before. If that was good enough then, it’s good enough now. Actually, most of the Gazans themselves are the sewage that needs to be flushed out to sea.
What disgusts me is that if the Gaza Pallies had stopped the thugs from flipping rockets into Israel, sending homicide bombers into Israel, kidnapping Israeli soldiers and just generally acting like the murderous terrorist bastards they are, Israel would not have had any NEED to seal the border.
That being the case, any discomfort they are suffering as a result of the actions of the terrorists is of supreme indifference to me.
Just read the whole article...It ends by asking the readers and the international community: how can the children get their education while this situation is going on ?
Um...education? Today we will have a rock throwing lesson..after that we will have a session on how to make a good bomb vest...Yes ahmed ?..what about the 72 versions ?...Ask your father...
If you ask me, the situation is just about right for lessons like that..Maybe the Israeli’s should turn off one of the three working pumps, a little more **** might help them to learn faster...
in the end...the f’n muzzie pali terrorists still blame the Israelis......
the f’n muzzies fire rockets into Israel...declare there will Never be peace...the Israelis must die and Israel must be destroyed.......
F the f’n muzzies.....let them live in shi-ite and since the food supplies are cut off....let them eat shi-ite also!!!
You shouldn't use that word. It upsets the Muzzie/Pali/camel jocky sensibilities.
I know others have commented on this line, but geez... Don't they have shovels in Gaza? No matter where you are in the world, no matter how destitute, there has to be something better to do with raw sewage than to dump it in wells. (Unless no one gets their water from the well, in which case this is the usual misdirection from that direction.) Just waiting on the government to take care of them...and there are people in America who think the same way.
What disgusts me, and should disgust the rest of the world is how the writer is condemning the people his ilk are trying to murder and constantly bombarding with rockets for not acting like "good neighbors!"
Hey Gazan! If you want to Israelis to treat you better, STOP TRYING TO MURDER THEM!
Mark
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