Search

This paper explores how participatory science helps address water supply challenges in developing countries suffering from water shortages. In the absence of technical capacity to monitor the water supply system, this participation constitutes an excellent alternative to involve citizens in data collection and evaluation of the quality of the water service. The paper presents the design and implementation of a participatory science platform that enables data about the quality of the water supply in the city of Kharas in Palestine to be collected. Thanks to significant citizen participation, the study demonstrates that participatory science enhances the management of the water supply system and public awareness and engagement. Temporal and spatial analysis of collected data helped us to better understand the water supply system and identify the causes of the water service degradation. The study shows that the success of citizen participation requires cooperation between the water staff and citizens, including continuous dialogue and training and the construction of a friendly citizen participation platform.

This paper aims to assess groundwater potability and palatability in the West Bank, Palestine. It combines the adjusted weighted arithmetic water quality index method (AWAWQIM), a close-ended questionnaire, and step-wise assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) to develop groundwater potability (PoGWQI) and palatability (PaGWQI) indices. Both a geographic information system (GIS) and the kriging interpolation method (KIM) are employed to create spatiotemporal mapping of PoGWQI and PaGWQI. The research is based on data from 79 wells, which were provided by the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA). Data include fecal coliform (FC), nitrate (NO3), pH, chloride (Cl), sulfate (SO4), bicarbonate (HCO3), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, and hardness. Results indicate that 2% and 5% of water samples were unpotable and unpalatable, respectively. Unpotable samples were found in areas with poor sewer networks and intensive use of agrochemicals. All groundwater samples (100%) in the eastern part of the West Bank were unpalatable because of seawater intrusion. Unconfined aquifers were more vulnerable to potability and palatability contamination. It was noticed that PoGWQI is sensitive to FC and NO3, while PaGWQI is sensitive to HCO3, TDS, and Cl. Consequently, these quality parameters should be monitored well. The proposed method is of great interest to water decision-makers in Palestine for establishing strategies to protect water resources.