Gaza woman develops 'water purification device' for displaced Palestinians

A displaced agricultural engineer in Gaza developed a water purification device to convert seawater into potable water amid a lack of access to clean water in the enclave.

In an interview with Middle East Eye, Inas al-Ghoul shared how her cost-effective device offers numerous benefits for cleaning water and providing it to displaced Palestinians in Gaza.

“This device is not only for war times. It solves the problem of saltwater whether it’s in our country or elsewhere,” she said.

Inas al-Ghoul asserted that the device is very simple and “consists of a box with a leather sheet inside and a piece of glass that is slopped.”

The Palestinian engineer stated that the system involves the distillation process. 

“Water evaporates and is condensed on the glass. The water drips into a channel that is connected to a pipe.“

Al-Ghoul explained that the device purifies the water by filtering it twice through activated carbon before it flows into the tank, making it safe for consumption.

Shedding light on the benefits of the project, she maintained that the device is easy to operate and can be constructed from inexpensive material.

“It lasts a long time and doesn’t require electricity or solar panels and you don’t need to change the filters.”

She further mentioned that the device can be made into different sizes to suit different family needs.

She created one such device for a displacement camp in Gaza, housing approximately 5,000 people, and it was sufficient for their entire water supply.

Inas al-Ghoul requested international organisations to contribute to advancing her project and expanding its reach to all areas of Gaza, experiencing acute water shortage due to the Israeli military offensive.