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Last update - 04:24 07/02/2008 Water Authority: Israel is rapidly losing its water sources By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Water, Palestinian Tul Karm  Israel will soon be unable to use a considerable part of its natural water sources, the Water Authority warns, because of the deteriorating quality of ground-water reserves, exacerbated by reduced rainfall due to climate change. Most of the water in the Coast Aquifer, one of Israel's two main ground-water sources, is below the standard for potable water, according to a recent report by the Water Authority's Hydraulic Service. The report analyzed the water's quality on the basis of recommendations for drinking water made by a team of experts headed by Professor Avner Adin. Most of the committee's recommendations, which have not been anchored in legislation yet, are more strict than the former standards. Advertisement The Hydrological Service recommends reducing the water drilling from the West Mountain Aquifer (the other major freshwater source, which also provides water for the Palestinians) by one tenth and to be prepared for increased water drilling on the Palestinian side. It also recommends to stop pumping more water than the rainwater entering the ground water reserve in the Coast Aquifer, which provides almost one third of Israel's water consumption. Instead it urges creating alternative water sources, such as desalination. Water tests indicate that 16 percent of the water pumped two years ago from the Coast Aquifer two years ago were inferior in quality with excessive chloride or nitrate - pollutants caused by sewage and fertilizers. Even in places where 95 percent of the water came from the aquifer, tests showed that it was polluted and salted, which means that these problems are expected to get worse. One reason for the Coast Aquifer's salification is the excessive water drilling, which lowers the water's level and leads to the penetration of sea water into the drinking water. The Hydraulic Service report said that sea water has penetrated one kilometer and two kilometers inland in several places, and has reached the area where most of the drilling for aquifer water takes place. Unlike the Coast Aquifer, the Mountain Aquifer's water quality is still good. However, the Hydraulic Service says that the water in Qalqilyah and Tul Karm is still being polluted. The Service recommends speeding up the treatment of sewage from West Bank Palestinian communities and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Related articles: Palestinian water authority: 40% of Gazans lack running water Experts warn nature not getting adequate share of fresh water reserves Hotels spared most of water hike Bookmark to del.icio.us   'We lost a great leader' Dignitaries honor the only Holocaust survivor to serve in the U.S. Congress. Deadly incursion A mentally disabled Palestinian dies of wounds sustained in a West Bank IDF arrest raid.   1.   Water shortage 07:20  |  Butch 07/02/08   2.   WHOSE water? 07:58  |  JW 07/02/08   3.   wow, not even stealing land saves Israel 08:10  |  Leona 07/02/08   4.   As I always say.... 08:11  |  Johnboy 07/02/08   5.   Incompetent leadership up and down the chain 08:16  |  Joe Sittizen 07/02/08   6.   #2 johnboy with water on the brain again 08:26  |  v hardman 07/02/08   7.   Israel, crapping on the only aquifer that belongs to it 09:29  |  Clickfool 07/02/08   8.   To Leona living no where 09:38  |  dovale 07/02/08   9.   IDF might need to occupy the rest of Syria 10:11  |  Chanalau, Tova 07/02/08   10.   What climate change? 10:16  |  Scientist 07/02/08   11.   Israel can get water wherever it finds it 11:01  |  Nechama 07/02/08   12.   70% of Israel`s Water Comes from Illegally Occupied Land 11:41  |  Mr. Knowtiall 07/02/08   13.   So, now it will steal what is left of Palestinian water 12:03  |  El-Birawi 07/02/08   14.   do what UAE did 12:35  |  panzerfaust 07/02/08   15.   Not Just the Palestinians.... 13:11  |  Sally Forth 07/02/08   16.   #9 chanalau tova 13:41  |  danny 07/02/08   17.   water sources 13:44  |  HM 07/02/08   18.   Saving LOTS of WATER!!!! 14:15  |  Jacob 07/02/08   19.   it would help if most posters had an inkling of water usage and c 14:53  |  v hardman 07/02/08   20.   The Zionists sure did pick a bad place 15:09  |  spyguy 07/02/08   21.   Jacob (17) to save water is not sufficient. Water has to be saved 15:27  |  Karl 07/02/08   22.   land thieves now water thieves 16:12  |  sam i am 07/02/08   23.   Old Problem Lame Government 17:11  |  consorts 07/02/08   24.   10 Scientist. Why are you confusing the issue of "climate change" 17:23  |  another physicist 07/02/08   25.   Water Shmarter! 17:50  |  Danite 07/02/08   26.   I have a solution 18:21  |  Gee 07/02/08   27.   What about de-salinization? 18:29  |  Fortuna Benmayor 07/02/08   28.   Water 18:44  |  Edithann 07/02/08   29.   #10 Scientists 21:19  |  George 07/02/08   30.   to leona, #3 21:31  |  Igor D. 07/02/08   31.   to elbirawi, # 12 21:33  |  Igor D. 07/02/08   32.   Some thoughts 21:48  |  Morris Valentine 07/02/08   33.   To Clickfool (#7) 22:05  |  Morris Valentine 07/02/08   34.   70% of Israel`s Water Comes from Illegally Occupied Land 22:31  |  Mr. Knowtiall 07/02/08   35.   solution to water shortage 22:53  |  Dave 07/02/08   36.   #30 Morris presents some excellent points and options 00:57  |  Lev Bronstein 08/02/08   37.   #6 VictorPaul does not understand the obligations of occupation 04:17  |  Johnboy 08/02/08   38.   #27 It`s simply not cost-effective, Fortuna 04:27  |  Johnboy 08/02/08   39.   #32 All very worthy, Morris 04:36  |  Johnboy 08/02/08   40.   On theft of water sources (#34, 36, 39) 05:26  |  Morris Valentine 08/02/08   41.   Time for another invasion 06:05  |  Shlomo Ben Yehuda 08/02/08   42.   #40 Morris on water theft - it ain`t all figures and charts 07:23  |  Johnboy 08/02/08   43.   Here is some reading for you Morris 12:22  |  Lev Bronstein 08/02/08   44.   To Johnboy (#42) 17:50  |  Morris Valentine 08/02/08   45.   To Lev Bronstein (#43) 18:04  |  Morris Valentine 08/02/08   46.   #44 Morris, on putting words into his mouth 12:06  |  Johnboy 10/02/08   47.   To Johnboy (#46): Once more, with feeling 18:32  |  Morris Valentine 10/02/08   48.   #47 Morris, let`s look AGAIN at what you said 10:00  |  Johnboy 11/02/08   49.   To Johnboy (#48): no, let`s try again ... 06:28  |  Morris Valentine 12/02/08   50.   #49 I`m sorry Morris, but post-hoc doesn`t cut it. 08:21  |  Johnboy 12/02/08   51.   To Johnboy (#50): with apologies 05:53  |  Morris Valentine 14/02/08   52.   #51 You simply fail to understand my point, Morris 06:52  |  Johnboy 14/02/08   53.   I understand your point, Johnboy ... 07:03  |  Morris Valentine 15/02/08

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