E4646 V2 nvironmenta En d Socia al and al act Assessm Impa ment (ESIA) & nvironmenta En d Socia al and al Man nagemment PPlan (ESMMP) or Fo W Gaza Water Suppply and Seewage Sy mproveme ystems Im ent Projecct (WSSSIP) Ph nd Additio hase 1 an ncing (AF) onal Finan   F Final R Report nglish Execu En E ummar tive Su ry eptember Se 4 r 15, 2014 vision prepared by AF rev y PMU Prepar red By gineering and Eng nt d Managemen Consulting Center This Study prepared for p Funded By the the World Bank P PWA/CMWU nmental and So Environ sessment (ESIA ocial Impact Ass ntal and Social Management P A) & Environmen Plan (ESMP)  Water Supply an Gaza W nd Sewage Systems Improvem ment    Environ E nmental and So ssessme ocial Impact As SIA) ent (ES & Environ E nmentall and So ocial Maanagem an (ESM ment Pla MP) for er Supply and Se Gaza Wate ewage Sy ment Pro ystems Improvem oject (WSSSIP) ncluding AF1 In This Study prepared A / CMWU for the PWA Funded By the World Bank F k   nal Re Fin eport English Ex ve Sum xecutiv mmary eptember 2012 Se Revised R uding A d Final Report inclu AF1 S Septem 1 201 mber 15, 14 ii Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) & Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)  Gaza Water Supply and Sewage Systems Improvement    Executive Summary   This Environmental and Social Impact pumping stations, (6) construction of Assessment and Management Plan was warehouse and workshop, & (7) technical prepared for “Gaza Water Supply and and operational assistance for CMWU. Sewage Systems Improvement” to satisfy Most of the project components are the World Bank Operational Policy 4.01 located in the middle and southern (January 1998). PWA as the owner of the Governorates of the Gaza strip. project proposed the following This ESIA/ESMP is being amended to components to be included in the project; include additional financing for WSSSIP, rehabilitation and expansion of the water would help finance the cost associated supply networks to support transmission of with the scaling-up of project activities in additional supply resources, and to response to circumstances arising during improve the efficiency and operational implementation. Specifically it would management of the networks. The World finance rehabilitating water and Bank and Islamic Development Bank have wastewater infrastructure damaged in cooperated and signed a principle Gaza as a result of bombardments and agreement to finance the project ground incursions by Israeli armed forces components. in the period of July 5 to August 26, 2014. The project is categorized as a “B” project The AF is requested by the Palestinian in accordance with the World Bank Water Authority (PWA) in consultation with Operational Policy 4.01 (January 1998) the Gaza Coastal Municipality Water Utility and requires the preparation and (CMWU) to finance civil works, goods, implementation of an Environmental and consulting services, non-consulting Social Management Plan (ESMP). For services, training, operating costs and category “B” projects, no major negative recurrent costs to: (i) conduct the most environmental impacts are envisaged urgent repairs to damage water and since the project will invest in activities that wastewater systems in order to restore support rehabilitation and improvements of basic water and wastewater services; and the infrastructure. (ii) restore and enhance the capacity of the CMWU to deliver these services. Overall The components studied are; (1) damage to water and wastewater systems rehabilitation and expansion of networks, are assessed in the order of (2) rehabilitation of water wells, (3) US$ 34 million, with the proposed upgrading of DeirEl Balah desalination operation covering approximately 40% plant, (4) district meters replacement, (5) percent of the required repairs. upgrading and maintenance of wastewater iv Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) & Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)  Gaza Water Supply and Sewage Systems Improvement    The Assessment and Management Plan conditions, accessibility to infrastructure are prepared to ensure that the project is facilities and providing temporary and developed in a sound manner and does permanent job opportunities. not cause negative impacts to the Potential impacts, mitigation measures, environmental resources and social responsibility for execution, mitigation issues. Also, to coordinate the policies, monitoring measures and methods, and plans, programs and decisions of various monitoring and enforcement responsibility parties involved in the project during are presented. implementation and monitoring. The In order to monitor the projects, coordinate assessment includes a survey of the local the environmental training program and applicable regulatory standards and ensure that the activities are implemented guidelines, description of the existing in an environmentally sound manner, an environment, potential impacts of the environmental expertise will be development, mitigation measures that established within PWA and CMWU. A needs to be implemented, required permanent staff will be appointed, part training program, schedule of time environmental advisor(s) contracted implementation, and cost of implementing will support occasionally the CMWU staff the recommendations. through on-the-job training, and overseas The environmental resources and social programs will be conducted. The capacity issues that are of particular interest to the building and training program focuses on study are surveyed. Also, site visits to the the preparation and use of the project sites are selected to assist in appraisal/mitigation form, use of describing, assessing the existing environmental guidelines, and conditions, and summarizing the related implementation of the mitigation potential impacts. measures. Safety measures during Different significance levels for the impacts construction and operation, proper waste are reported. Most of the reported impacts disposal, and cleaning measures during are either negligible or minor impacts. construction are also included in the However, other impacts; moderate and recommended training program. major, are limited in nature and will be The Management Plan includes hiring an avoided by providing clear instructions and environmental expert, capacity building measures for the implementing and and training programs, periodic monitoring agencies. environmental assessment for the project The projects are highly welcomed by the components. community. In spite of some concerns and In conclusion, the population of the Gaza limited impacts for the community, the Strip is increasing day by day, and as a project includes several benefits. The result, the underground water resources benefits include improvement of living v Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) & Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)  Gaza Water Supply and Sewage Systems Improvement    are getting worse and worse in terms of consulting firm was commissioned to quality and quantity. In the light of this prepare the Environmental and Social tragedy, rehabilitation and upgrading of Impact Assessment and Management the Gaza water resources are of utmost Plan for the parent project, WSSSIP. All priority to the Palestinian community. revisions pertinent to the AF have been done by the PMU. The Engineering and Management Consulting Center (EMCC) as a local vi