Revitalizing an Ancient City
USAID Expands Sanitation Access to Residents of Jericho, the Oldest City in the World
In September 2022, USAID West Bank and Gaza Mission Director Amy Tohill-Stull met with Jericho Mayor Abdel Kareem Sider to discuss the importance of expanding the city’s wastewater collection system and establishing housing connections in order to utilize the full potential of Jericho’s municipal wastewater treatment plant. As part of this project, the mayor indicated the need to enhance municipal services to ensure financial sustainability and preserve Jericho's environmental and cultural heritage.
USAID followed up on this commitment to the community through the Jericho Wastewater Project, awarded in late September 2024.
With a rich history spanning over 11,000 years, Jericho is widely considered the oldest city in the world, serving as a valuable religious and cultural site to many civilizations, including the ancient Canaanites, Greeks, and Romans. Today, Jericho stands as a symbol of resilience and shared history, promoting tourism and fostering cultural exchange.
Despite its ancient roots, Jericho faces modern-day challenges, particularly when it comes to water and sanitation services. The city’s insufficient wastewater network poses significant health risks to residents, who often rely on unreliable and leaky cesspits.
This project aims to increase equitable access to safe, sustainable sanitation services for over 15,000 Palestinians residing in Jericho.
Mission Director Tohill-Stull traveled to Jericho to meet with Mayor Abdel Kareem Sider to oversee the connection of the 10th house to the municipal sewer lines, made possible through the USAID-supported Jericho Wastewater project.
This project is the fruit of a longstanding partnership between USAID and the Jericho Municipality,” said Tohill-Stull.
USAID’s Jericho Wastewater project is also boosting sustainable resource management in Jericho. A new photovoltaic system will be installed at the wastewater treatment plant to reduce operational costs by at least 30 percent. Additionally, tariff collections from new household connections and the sale of treated water to farmers will help Jericho’s sanitation services become financially self-reliant.
“This project is considered one of the most important strategic projects for the city of Jericho, which has an agricultural tourism identity. Beyond its environmental impact, the project will bolster tourism infrastructure, enhance water resources for farmers, and improve the lives of the citizens. We extend our gratitude to the USAID Mission Director for her understanding of the city’s needs and her work to make this project a reality,” stated Jericho Mayor, Mr. Abdel Kareem Sider.
USAID is committed to improving community services and advancing long-term development goals of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza while continuing to address ongoing humanitarian needs in Gaza.
ABOUT THE STORY
Jericho Water and Sanitation (WASH) Project.
In Jericho, the wastewater collection and conveyance system serves more than 15,000 people who live in the municipality. This project will expand the sewer collection and conveyance system and construct 2,200 household connections to increase access to safely managed sanitation services for the residents of Jericho City, provide approximately 500,000 cubic meters per year of additional non-conventional climate resilient resources for irrigation, and protect the environment and the limited water resources from contamination. It will also expand solar energy use for a cost-effective source of reliable power for the Jericho wastewater treatment plant, allowing the plant to fully operate on clean energy.
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