Feasibility of Protection Zones for Water Resources in Arid Areas: Case Study; Duyuk Nueimah Shosa Springs, Jericho, Palestine

Abstract

Urbanization and different human-economic activities put increasing pressure on the ground water quality, which is considered as the main drinking water resources in Palestine. Protecting the spring water resources in Palestine is one major issue for the continuity of the availability of the water resources. An economic feasibility study was conducted for the Nuewimah-Shosha-Dyuk spring system in order to assess the economical factor for the induced methodology of the protection zones. The spring system has multiple users from different sectors ( i.e ., domestic, agriculture, commercial and public use) and multi-year cost benefit analysis technique used to show the feasibility of water protection zones on the long run. The study shows that even in arid areas in Palestine, small quantities are derived from springs-implementation of water protection zones is still feasible; the results of this study emphasize on importance and feasibility of water resources protection zones.