Pollution slashes almost a third of Israel's drinking water in 2005 - Haaretz

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Tue., October 30, 2007 Cheshvan 18, 5768

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Last update - 05:06 29/10/2007

Pollution slashes almost a third of Israel's drinking water in 2005

By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent

Between 2001-2005 nearly one-third of the drinking water sources in Israel that were deemed unfit for human consumption had excessively high levels of nitrogen, according to a report released Sunday by the Health Ministry.

According to Shalom Goldberg, the ministry's chief engineer for environmental health, most of these sources are located in the center of the country, and have been contaminated over the years mainly by the seepage of agricultural pesticides and fertilizers into the groundwater. The Health Ministry's report on the hygienic state of drinking water shows that the sources of the water, in the center of the country, are partially contaminated by poisons such as ethylene dibromide, various form of oil, metals and cyanides. Despite this, the ministry assures the public that in most cases these substances were found in low concentrations that are within allowable standards, and that the tainted sources that were detected in the first half of the decade have been cut off or desalinated to the point where the water is now drinkable.

Still, the report states that an analysis of the tests conducted on the water sources indicates that in some cases, more than one contaminant remains present, although none exceeds the allowable level of concentration. As of now, cautions the Health Ministry, this fact is not being addressed by those determining the existing standards, and it is possible that some of those sources actually pose a real pollution threat. Ministry officials have called on the country's water suppliers - the Mekorot Water Company and the local authorities - to give this problem maximum attention and to consider treatment methods that will reduce the levels of pollutants in the water that flows in our taps.

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In 2005 drinking water was supplied to local homes from 1,033 water sources ) aquifers, springs and above-ground sources, for which Mekorot and the local authorities are responsible. During the period covered by the report, excessive levels of pollutants were found in 286 of these sources; 90 of them were shut down and no longer allowed to be used due to their contamination levels. Of these 68 were under the jurisdiction of local authorities, while 22 were the responsibility of Mekorot.

All the undrinkable water sources showed excessive amounts of either chemical or bacterial contaminants; 69 of the disqualified sources are in the central region, serving Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, while 21 are in the north and south of the country. Most of these sources have since been treated to reduce the various pollutants so that they are at permissible levels.

A high concentration of nitrates can cause an acquired form of methemoglobinemia - "blue baby syndrome" - which is caused by disruptions in the flow of oxygen to the blood, and in extreme cases can lead to death. Nitrates in the water can also cause cancer. Goldberg says that nitrates enter the water sources mainly from agricultural fertilizers and sewage that seeps into the groundwater.

"The report gives a true picture of the water quality in the drinking water sources and indicates," he says, "that the overwhelming majority of water sources meet the strict standards."

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1.	Polluted Drinking water	08:26	\|	Carolyn	29/10/07

2.	Well, now you know how Israel "made the deserts bloom"	09:45	\|	Johnboy	29/10/07

3.	WITH HAPHAZARD CONTROLS THE SITUATION WILL JUST GET WORSE	11:04	\|	D.Erty	29/10/07

4.	Johnboy, have you taken your Rabies Vaccination?	11:11	\|	Daniel	29/10/07

5.	Simply amazing	11:13	\|	Dave	29/10/07

6.	What a shameful lie as in the title of this article!	11:59	\|	S	29/10/07

7.	And now, Carolyn, Johnboy, D Erty, Dave, et co.	12:14	\|	S	29/10/07

8.	#4 Daniel, have you grown a brain yet?	03:00	\|	Johnboy	30/10/07

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