EVALUATION OF GROUNDWATER PUMPING SYSTEMS FOR NABLUS WATER SOURCES IN PALESTINE

Abstract

Abstract This study assesses the hydraulic, energy, and economic performance of the seven municipal water sources that supply drinking water to Nablus City, Palestine. These sources include Al-Faraa Well, Al-Badan Well, Rujeeb Well, Al-Maslakh Well, Audala Well, Sabastia Well, and Deir Sharaf Well, which are grouped into four groundwater pumping systems (GWPS). Field surveys, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) archives, and Geographic Information System (GIS) data were integrated in a manual calculation evaluation framework that computes well specific capacity, pump wire-to-water efficiency, pipeline head loss, and specific energy, and links these indicators to a ten-year cost-benefit model for potential upgrades. Results show that all pumps meet the total dynamic head (the total pressure required to move water through the system) required to fill Ein Dafna and Ein Biet Elmaʾ reservoirs, confirming hydraulic adequacy. However, performance varies significantly across sources: Al-Faraa Well exhibits the highest energy intensity (1.8 kWh m⁻³) and poorest well productivity (0.85 m³ hr⁻¹ m⁻¹ specific capacity), while Al-Maslakh Well demonstrates the most efficient operation (0.4 kWh m⁻³) as the newest source. Sabastia Well shows exceptional aquifer performance (145 m³ hr⁻¹ m⁻¹ specific capacity) with a high pump efficiency (82%), whereas Al-Badan Well maintains good productivity (4.8 m³ hr⁻¹ m⁻¹) despite aging infrastructure. Audala Well suffers from single-point failure vulnerability and loses head to pipeline friction, while Rujeeb Well provides reliable supply under Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) management. Deir Sharaf Well operates with recently upgraded equipment but older boosters at 73% efficiency. Multiple interventions including pump refurbishment or replacement, variable frequency drives, solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems, parallel mains, smart dispatch, and leak reduction analytics were screened. The preferred phased portfolio can cut grid electricity use by up to 18% (≈800,000 kWh yr⁻¹), avoid more than 1,100 tonnes CO₂ yr⁻¹, add 1 Mm³ yr⁻¹ of effective supply through leak control and well rehabilitation, and repay the first 1.6 million United States Dollar (USD) of capital investment in roughly three years.