Meithaloun

Meithaloun is situated twenty kilometers south of Jenin City.  It is the centre of the southern villages of the Jenin Governorate.  On its northern borders there is the famous Marj (plain) Sanour which is one of the most important agricultural areas in the governorate.  More than two thirds of the Marj Sanour area belong to the Meithaloun inhabitants.

Water–Related Facts

For thousands of years the inhabitants of Meithaloun have been reliant for their water needs on water collected and stored in cisterns during the rainy months, in addition to quantities brought from Al-Fawwar spring in the southwest near the town of Jaba’a.  In the sixties, two private agricultural wells were drilled in the area and their water was brought to the houses by tankers, covering some of the locals' water needs.  In 1999, a municipality well was drilled for domestic purposes.   However, the low discharge of that well kept people dependent on water stored in cisterns or that purchased from the private agricultural wells.  

Institutions

The Municipality is the main institution in Meithaloun, with a track record of undertaking works in the village.  Due to the lack of a water network, only two technicians are working as operators of the municipal well, regulating water distribution.   The other village institutions include a women center, a society, and a farmers union, yet all have a limited role in water related activities.

Agriculture is the main economic activity in Meithaloun, but due to the current political situation, unemployment rate has risen among its inhabitants.

General Livelihood Information

The poorest group in Meithaloun is those unemployed or has a low income.  According to the Social Affairs Department, poorest people form about 11% of the town's inhabitants.  

Vision

By the year 2010

• Increase the individual's daily share of domestic water from the current 52 liters to100 liters.
• Further enhance agricultural activities.
• Reclaim the agricultural lands.
• Increase the size of the irrigated land from the current 1415 donums (of the 13710 donums of total planted lands) to 5000 donums.
• Minimize the contamination sources, mainly caused by the nonexistence of wastewater network, and the infiltration of sewage water to the cisterns as a result of using the cesspits for wastewater collection.