Addressing the Middle East Water Crisis One Drop at a Time

Addressing the Middle East Water Crisis One Drop at a Time

Middle East : Water Conflict Stressed political climate Population growth Surface water stressed and polluted Diminishing groundwater Worsening drought Desalination not a near-term solution Lower Jordan River (2011) Lower Jordan River (1918)

Lack of Water : The Impact Scarce drinking water Little excess water for toilet flushing and hand washing Reduced student attendance, especially girls School closures Dependency on municipality and tanker trucks Increased costs

Water Resources Action Project: WRAP Early 2009, concerned environmental and legal professionals convene 501(c)(3), volunteer, non-profit formed late 2009: Water Resources Action Project Board, leadership, members: diverse political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds Operate with strict neutrality Mission Improve quality of life for underserved communities in the Middle East through greater water stewardship, operating with strict political and religious neutrality. Vision By easing the growing water conflict and educating individuals and institutions at the grassroots level on the value and interconnectedness of water, a greater awareness and appreciation for human health and the environment will be cultivated.

What Difference Can We Make : Now! Harvest precious rainwater through collection systems Types: rain barrel model and cistern model Five month rainy season (November-March) System can supply up to 70% of a school s water needs during its nine months of operation Water used for toilet flushing (often accounts for 85% of school s total water usage) Environmental educational program Increased awareness and appreciation for finite resource System-wide understanding of ecosystems and connectedness Communication across challenging political, cultural, and religious terrain

WRAP s Progress : Pilot Project Sur Baher Girls School, East Jerusalem Underprivileged area in Israel, bordering the West Bank Serving 800 Arab girls (grades 1-12) Dependence on costly, unreliable municipal water Engaged leadership and faculty Rain barrel collection system (completed February 2011) System services the school s two restrooms Funded by WRAP membership; system expansion funded through grant from Jerusalem Fund; in-kind support from FoEME 3 years funding/oversight of routine maintenance 3 years funding/training of Project Educator Ribbon-cutting ceremony (May 2011) attended by Naomi Sur, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Monthly reporting through 2.5 rainy seasons show on average 70% of school s total water usage supplied by system Reduced water bills and greater understanding of water s value, importance of conservation

Sur Baher Reporting Sur Baher Cumulative Total of Rainwater Collected by WRAP s System: 233,800 liters Feb 2011 November 2014

WRAP s Progress : Second Project Afaq School for the Learning Disabled, East Jerusalem Serving 300 Arab boys with special needs Rain barrel collection system (completed late February 2012) 3 years funding/oversight of maintenance and educational program Funded by annual WRAP membership and grant by Only Green Environmental Center (in-school partner) Monthly reporting through 1.5 rainy seasons show on average 60% of school s total water usage supplied by system

Al Afaq Reporting Al Afaq Running Total of Rainwater Collected by WRAP s System: 101,700 liters Nov 2012 Dec 2014

WRAP s Progress : Third Project Battir Girls High School, West Bank Located in small rural village of Battir, outside Bethlehem in the West Bank 120 Arab high school girls When the school runs out of water, it must purchase water from a tanker truck that is infrequent and unreliable Insufficient water remains for toilet flushing and drinking water is scarce Bathroom closures and unsanitary conditions (toilets cleaned twice/year) resulting in hygiene issues WRAP completes cistern collection system in July 2013, holds 62,000 liters (16,378 gallons) Friends of the Earth Middle East is in-school partner, overseeing environmental curriculum Principal and faculty is very supportive of project and implementation of educational program Immediate benefits of additional water and monetary savings for upcoming school year: No closures of bathrooms/sanitary conditions Desired summer camp Community garden

WRAP s Progress : Third Project Reporting from Fall 2014 showed cost savings of over 40% on school water bills during the rainy season as a result of the cistern Student leaders collect water harvesting data and share and discuss results with environmental club

WRAP s Progress : Fourth & Fifth Projects Paired Schools Program Tuba Zangaria School, Northern Israel Located in Tuba Zangaria, a small Bedouin village of Northern Israel, population 6,500 387 Arab middle school boys and girls Eynot Yarden School, Northern Israel Located in a kibbutz in Eynot Yarden of the Galil Elion region, population 20,000 430 Jewish middle school boys and girls WRAP completed rain barrel system installations at both schools in March 2014 Arava Institute is in-school partner, overseeing paired environmental curriculum whereby students from the two schools engage in group lessons and activities on environmental topics Principal and faculty is very supportive of project and implementation of educational program Immediate benefits of additional water and monetary savings for upcoming school year: No closures of bathrooms/sanitary conditions Community garden and agricultural research (Eynot) Cross-cultural exchange and communication around the common goal of water conservation

WRAP s Progress : Next Projects Jordan: Lenticular Secondary School for Girls Located in Al Adaseya, Jordan Public school serving 274 girls Goal: Install rain barrel harvesting system and coordinate environmental education curriculum, overseen by local partner, Friends of the Earth Middle East The school s leadership is supportive of the program and long-term sustainability West Bank: Al-Sedeeq Primary School Located in the Village of Husan, West Bank Primary school serving 389 Arab boys in 13 grades School experienced over 30 days of restroom closures due to water shortages last year Goal: Install cistern harvesting system and coordinate environmental education curriculum overseen by local partner, Friends of the Earth Middle East Path Forward Immediate benefits of additional water and monetary savings include: Continued student access to sanitary and properly functioning restrooms Possibility for summer classes and community gardening Encourage water stewardship in communities across Jordan and West Bank The cistern project at the Al-Sedeeq School is almost fully funded Fundraising is also underway for the Lenticular School project WRAP is fully committed to undertaking these projects; big question remains how soon can we make them happen?

WRAP s Progress : Next Projects Israel: Rotary Hands Across Waters Collaboration between a growing number of domestic and international Rotary Clubs Uses principles of water conservation within schools as a platform for promoting social interaction between various ethnic and religious communities throughout Israel Builds upon the successful partnership between the Rotary Club of Coral Springs-Parkland, FL and the Rotary Club of Lod, Israel Implemented by the Hi-Teach Water & Knowledge Program Progress Rainwater harvesting systems constructed at two anchoring institutions, the Ha Mapilim School and the Agricultural Learning Center (Farm School), in the City of Lod Gany Aviv School for advance activities serves as a third anchoring institution Rainwater harvesting systems are a primary tool for educating students and joint field trips to the Farm School and other sites engage students in hands-on activities related to agriculture, irrigation, and water systems. Path Forward Aims to establish a network of up to twenty schools throughout Israel with students from varying cultures, beliefs, and background including the communities of Haifa, Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, Gedera, Hod Hasharon, Daliat El Carmel, Shfaram, Kfar Manda, Shaeb, Kibbutz Evron, Kfar Silver, Netivot, and Lod The leadership of each school has been vetted, approached, and has shown great interest in joining the cross-cultural network.

Lessons Learned : Carrying It Forward Fully committed school and community leadership Strong educational component is critical Detailed screening process and transparency Grassroots partner(s) Proven contactors and routine maintenance Continued follow-up and reporting Identify the end game and create a roadmap

Why WRAP : What Makes This Effort Unique? Every penny of every dollar goes directly towards the projects, education, and maintenance NO overhead, NO pass through, NO bureaucracy, NO executive salaries, NO nonsense Each effort is fully vetted through an extensive, in-person screening process Grassroots, in-school partners Leveraged dollars from WRAP leadership, partners, grant submittals, and fundraising Parallel educational program, creating a network of awareness and ownership Metrics and reporting data, data, data Ongoing maintenance by trained technician Annual visits to region ensures continued follow-up on every project

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