Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 7 (5): 746-757, 2011 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2011 Corresponding Author: Abdel Fattah N. Abd Rabou, Department of Biology, Islamic University of Gaza, P.O. Box: 108, Gaza Strip, Palestine, E-mail: arabou@iugaza.edu.ps. 746 Environmental Impacts Associated with the Beit Lahia Wastewater Treatment Plant, North Gaza Strip, Palestine Abdel Fattah N. Abd Rabou Department of Biology, Islamic University of Gaza, P.O. Box: 108, Gaza Strip, Palestine Abstract: The Beit Lahia wastewater treatment plant (BLWWTP) represents the hottest environmental spot in North Gaza. The current study comes to highlight the environmental impacts associated with this catastrophic anthropogenic ecosystem. The study relied heavily on field and literature surveys. The study pointed out that the whole system is seriously threatening to neighboring environs and inhabitants. The environmental impacts encountered throughout the study period include: (1) deadfall accidents in the sewage pools, (2) painful floods with particular emphasis on the flood disaster of March 2007, (3) outbreak of environmental pests, (4) the depletion of sand dunes, (5) mosquito proliferation and nuisance, (6) prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections, (7) emission of offensive odors and (8) groundwater pollution by both nitrates and bacteriological parameters. The current establishment of a new WWTP in the eastern part of North Gaza is promising in the sense that most of the problems encountered here will diminish in a gradual fashion. Finally, the role of different institutions and organizations should be strengthened towards investigating and improving the environmental health aspects of the targeted populations in the Gaza Strip. Key words: Wastewater Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Impacts Gaza Strip Palestine INTRODUCTION wastewater from leakages, overloaded wastewater The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), which directly into the open environment [7]. Currently, about include the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, represent a 40 million cubic meters (MCM) of wastewater are most environmentally suffering hot spot in the region, produced annually in the Gaza Strip alone according to where long-term environmental degradation and current estimates declared in the different parties by the deterioration have occurred over the last six decades of Palestinian Water Authority (PWA). It is estimated that the Israeli occupation. Al-Agha [1, 2] documented the 60% of the population is connected to a sewerage main environmental issues prevailing since decades in the network [3]. Cesspits, open drains, boreholes and vaults Gaza Strip and he pointed out that the most serious are the other wastewater disposal system in the Gaza Strip environmental problems are the shortage and [8]. Most of the wastewater produced in the Gaza Strip is contamination of the groundwater resources. The United discharged into the Mediterranean Sea via tens of Nations Environment Program (UNEP) highlighted the pipelines or through Wadi Gaza; thus constituting an main environmental issues of the OPTs to include the actual threat that pollutes the marine environment and crisis of ground and surface water resources, wastewater deteriorates its biodiversity and fisheries resources [9]. mismanagement, solid and hazardous waste The sewage composition is usually affected by the low mismanagement and biodiversity depletion [3]. However, per-capita water consumption within the Palestinian the severity and complexity of these environmental issues households, where there is an increase in organic and the many others increase with the Israeli blockade or constituents and influent salinity [3]. siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006 [4] and with The raw sewage generally contains high levels of the Israeli war imposed on the Gaza Strip in December organic material, numerous pathogens (viruses, bacteria, 2008 [5, 6]. fungi; protozoa and helminthes), as well as nutrients and With regard to groundwater resources in the toxic compounds. Hence, it imposes environmental and OPTs, they are suffering due to infiltration of untreated health hazards and, consequently, must immediately be treatment plants (WWTPs) and effluent discharged