Supporting Water Conservation Off Campus

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In Palestine, water is scarce, unevenly shared and under growing pressure from climate change. Saving water cannot stop at the University gates. The real gains are made in the fields where food is grown, in the schools where children learn, in the homes where families live, and in the municipal networks that serve whole towns.

That is why An-Najah National University treats water conservation off campus as part of its public mission. The University places its scientific expertise, laboratories, engineers, agronomists and student volunteers at the service of the wider community, helping people and institutions use less water, reuse what they can and protect the quality of what remains.

This commitment is written into university policy. The Water Policy commits An-Najah to share learning and expertise on water management with the local community and to collaborate on water efficiency, while the Water Reuse and Conservation Policy promotes the safe reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. The Water Research Unit offers its services to the Palestinian community free of charge or at cost, so that support reaches those who need it most.

Our Support at a Glance

Who we support Farmers and producers, schools, families, municipalities and local councils, water utilities, NGOs and small industries, with a focus on rural and underserved communities?

What we provide Water and soil testing, technical advice and feasibility studies, irrigation design, wastewater treatment and reuse solutions, water-saving installations and hands-on volunteer projects.

How we deliver it Through the Water Research Unit, the Faculties of Agriculture and Engineering, the Community Service Center, the UNESCO Chair and the SAGE Center, with local and international partners.

Access Community services are offered free of charge or at cost price. School and family projects are delivered at no cost to beneficiaries.

Expertise that Reaches the Field

For more than three decades, the University's Water Research Unit, part of the Energy, Water and Food Security Research Center, has acted as a bridge between science and society. Farmers, municipalities, companies and community groups can bring water, wastewater, soil and crop samples to its laboratories for testing at reasonable cost, and receive clear advice on how to treat, save or safely reuse their water.

• Water quality testing of drinking water, groundwater, cisterns, springs and wastewater

• Soil and crop testing to guide irrigation and the safe use of treated water

• Technical advice and feasibility studies for municipalities, NGOs and development projects

• Environmental data that helps local and national bodies plan water use and protection

• Specialized training in water treatment for farmers, women, teachers and other groups

Working alongside it, the Faculty of Engineering designs practical solutions such as efficient irrigation systems, smart water-monitoring devices and wastewater treatment units, and helps communities learn to operate and maintain them.

Helping Farmers Grow More with Less Water

Agriculture is the largest user of water in Palestine, so this is where conservation makes the greatest difference. The Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine works directly with farmers and producers, offering guidance and field training on efficient irrigation, soil-water conservation and choosing the right amount of water for each crop.

The University is also helping to open a new source of water for farming: treated wastewater. Treated water from the Nablus West Wastewater Treatment Plant irrigates the faculty’s land in Tulkarem, showing in practice that reuse is safe and productive.

Field support for farmers

• Efficient irrigation: drip irrigation and scheduling by crop needs and soil moisture, so each crop receives the water it needs and no more

• Water-wise crops: drought-tolerant crops and varieties suited to Palestine's dry climate

• Soil-water conservation: mulching and soil management that keep water in the root zone for longer

• Safe reuse: soil, crop and water testing so farmers can irrigate with treated wastewater safely

• Demonstration in practice: University farms act as demonstration sites where farmers see water-saving techniques working before adopting them

Saving Water at Home

Households are where many small savings add up. Through awareness campaigns, workshops and student volunteering, the University helps families in Nablus and surrounding villages use less water and make the most of every source.

• Finding and fixing leaks in taps, pipes, tanks and roof storage

• Water-saving fixtures such as tap aerators and dual-flush toilets

• Rainwater harvesting, including the care of household cisterns, a traditional source of water in Palestine

• Greywater reuse for garden and tree irrigation

• Safe storage: cistern and tank water can be tested in the University's laboratories

Support in Action

Drip irrigation for three girls' schools in Nablus (2026)

• Challenge: Newly planted school trees needed regular watering in a water-scarce city.

• Support: The Community Service Center designed and installed complete drip irrigation systems fed by storage tanks.

• Result: 155 trees at Ibn Sina, Sheikh Muhammad Tuffaha and Yasser Arafat schools receive measured water at the roots, with lower losses and lower irrigation costs.

Testing treated wastewater for agriculture (2025)

• Challenge: Farmers need new water sources as fresh water becomes scarcer.

• Support: The Faculty of Agriculture hosts the pilot greenhouse of a nature-based water treatment and reuse project with PARC and AECID.

• Result: Vegetables are grown with treated water under research supervision, and young engineers and entrepreneurs were invited to develop reuse solutions, with up to €10,000 available per idea.

Solving a wastewater problem at Ibn Sina School (2026)

• Challenge: A wastewater problem affected the school grounds.

• Support: The Community Service Center worked with the relevant authorities to resolve it, in a campaign attended by the Governor and the Mayor of Nablus.

• Result: The grounds were greeted with 30 olive trees connected to drip irrigation, cared for with the help of student volunteers.

Support for Municipalities and Institutions

An-Najah teams work with municipalities, utilities, schools, NGOs, farms and small industries to cut water losses and make better use of every source. Support can include water audits and leak detection, advice on water-efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse, and technical consultancy on wastewater treatment, reuse and water infrastructure. The University also supports water security planning, modelling local water resources and demand to help councils and utilities plan supply, reduce non-revenue water and prepare for drought.

How we work with partners

1. Listen and assess: Understand local water problems, sources and needs with the community.

2. Test and analyses: Measure water quality and use in our laboratories.

3. Design solutions: Recommend practical, affordable measures.

4. Implement together: Install systems with partners, staff and student volunteers.

5. Transfer skills: Train local users to operate and maintain what was built.

From Research to Community Solutions

An-Najah turns its water research into practical, low-cost solutions that communities can adopt. With the Faculty of Engineering and the Energy, Water and Food Security Research Center, University teams develop and test:

• Compact wastewater treatment units for villages, schools and small communities not connected to a central plant

• Rainwater harvesting systems designed for local rainfall, roofs and storage needs

• Smart monitoring: water meters and sensors that help detect leaks and track use

• Water quality testing for households, schools and springs

Technical Support for Water Professionals

Lasting conservation depends on skilled people inside the institutions that manage water. The University supports the Palestinian Water Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, municipalities and NGOs with specialized training in tools such as GIS for rainwater harvesting, short courses through the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Water Resources Management and the SAGE Center, and a water management training module being developed for local service providers through the EU-funded FORWARD project.

Students as Water Ambassadors

Through volunteering with the Community Service Center, service-learning in their courses and graduation projects that tackle real local water problems, students help install irrigation systems, run awareness activities in schools and neighborhoods, and design solutions for municipalities and farms.

Sharing Knowledge with the Public

The University offers open workshops and short courses, practical guides in Arabic, and awareness messages through its media channels, including An-Najah's radio station and television channel. The Free Water Education for Our Community program brings these opportunities together in one place.

Stronger Together

• Palestinian Water Authority

• Ministry of Agriculture

• Municipalities

• Palestinian Hydrology Group

• PARC

• MA'AN

• ARIJ

• DAAD

• European Union

• FAO

• GIZ

• KfW

Learn more on our Sustainable Water Collaboration page.

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