GAZA, (PIC)
Gaza City Municipality issued an urgent warning over the risk of overflow at the Sheikh Radwan rainwater collection pond in northern Gaza City, amid severe deterioration of sewage infrastructure and the inability of municipal crews to operate vital facilities due to shortages of fuel, spare parts, and essential supplies.
Municipality spokesperson Hosni Mhanna said in press statements that the Sheikh Radwan pond covers an area exceeding 80 dunums and reaches a depth of around seven and a half meters. He explained that it currently contains approximately three and a half meters of wastewater and sewage.
Mhanna stated that the accumulation resulted from sewage leaking into the pond following the widespread destruction of sewage networks and transmission lines in surrounding areas caused by Israeli military operations during the recent war on Gaza.
He noted that large sections of Gaza’s sewage infrastructure had been destroyed, leading to a continuous flow of wastewater into the pond, while municipal crews remain unable to carry out maintenance work or contain the crisis due to the lack of resources.
He added that pumping stations and pumps inside the pond have stopped operating because of shortages of fuel, oil, spare parts, and the supplies needed to run generators, causing wastewater levels to rise rapidly in recent days.
Mhanna warned that the current situation poses a serious environmental and public health threat in an area densely populated with residents and displaced families, including people whose homes were destroyed and who are now living near the pond despite the dangers.
Growing health and environmental risks
He stressed that the accumulation of sewage threatens the spread of foul odors, insects, and rodents, alongside the potential outbreak of diseases amid Gaza’s worsening health and environmental conditions.
Mhanna also warned that sewage leakage into the groundwater reservoir represents one of the gravest consequences, as it could contaminate water sources and deepen Gaza’s chronic water crisis.
He further cautioned that continued rising water levels could cause sewage to overflow into nearby streets and residential areas, potentially triggering a large-scale humanitarian and health disaster.
He additionally warned of the risk of collapsing homes and damaged buildings surrounding the pond due to soil saturation from wastewater, especially as the area sustained heavy Israeli attacks during the war, leaving structures increasingly fragile.
The Gaza Municipality spokesperson stressed the urgent need for the entry of fuel, oils, spare parts, and essential operational equipment, including batteries and supplies required to operate generators and pumps to restore vital services.
He called for municipalities to receive sufficient and regular fuel supplies to operate sewage stations around the clock, warning that the continuation of the current situation could lead to an unprecedented environmental and health catastrophe in Gaza City.