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Among the most crucial and serious human rights violations taking place in the unrecognized villages is that of access to water. The World Health Organization defines access to clean water as a fundamental human right, as defined by the United Nations, articles 11 and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

That being said, the residents of the unrecognized villages have little or no access to the national water grid, despite living alongside the main pipes used to transport drinking and irrigation water through the Negev. In cases where the government has granted access to the grid, the access is through a one-inch diameter access point, which is equipped with a pressure valve to prevent too much water from going through the pipe at any one time. From there, above-ground hoses connect the houses in the village. However, if one does not live close to the access point, there is still no water connection, as the water pressure is not great enough to carry the water to houses outside the limited radius of water pressure allowed by the pressure valve.

If, however, one does not live in a village with this connection, or one lives far away from the pump, large water tanks must be used to transport water to the house. In cases such as this, the residents must go to a house close to a water access point, and another resident must fill these tanks up once or twice a week. This process takes two hours to fill the tank. So, if one arrives on the designated filling day to find 2 or 3 other people in line ahead of him, simply procuring water for the week can take all day. In addition, these tanks are often rusted out and extremely unhygienic, further exacerbating the already-dire health situation in the villages.

According to Physicians for Human Rights, the average Israeli in Tel Aviv pays roughly 4 shekels per cubic meter of water. For those in the unrecognized villages who must use a water tank to bring water to their homes, it costs roughly 50 shekels per cubic meter of water. For the most impoverished segment of Israeli society, this is a major strain on livelihood.

For more information, we suggest the following reports:

Water = Life: Ensuring the Right to Water of the Residents of the Unrecognized Villages in the Negev Prepared by Friends of the Earth: Middle East

Water Discipline: Water, the State, and the Unrecognized Villages in the Negev
Prepared by Physicians for Human Rights

The Right to Water
Prepared by the World Health Organization

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