RVF Launches New Drinking Water Desalination Unit in Northern Gaza

The Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation (RVF) has launched a new drinking water desalination unit in Al Zarqa, south of Jabalia, in northern Gaza.

The unit was installed and commissioned by the foundation’s engineering team in an area located near the "Yellow Line," which remains under Israeli military control.

Residents of Al Zarqa and the surrounding neighborhoods have been facing a severe shortage of safe drinking water due to the extensive destruction of water infrastructure and the area's proximity to the Yellow Line, making it extremely difficult for humanitarian actors to provide a reliable water supply. In response, RVF established a fully equipped desalination unit that provides clean drinking water free of charge. The facility has a production capacity of more than 1,000 liters of safe drinking water per hour.

The project reflects RVF’s ongoing commitment to protecting the health and well-being of children and their families by helping address Gaza’s worsening drinking water crisis. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated further in recent weeks as several other desalination facilities have ceased operations due to shortages of fuel, lubricants, and other essential supplies.

RVF plans to continue expanding its humanitarian response, in partnership with international donors and supporters, by installing additional desalination units in the communities most in need, contributing to improved access to safe drinking water for displaced children and their families, the majority of whom continue to live in temporary shelters and tents.