Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., June 02, 2008 Iyyar 28, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:07 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 12:24 11/03/2008 Israel facing worst water crisis in decade after meager rainfall By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Lake Kinneret  The past winter's meager rainfalls and sharp rise in domestic water consumption have brought Israel to the most acute water crisis in the past decade. The country's main water sources are expected to drop below the safe minimum levels by the end of the summer, which threatens the water quality. The Water Authority will have to take conservation measures while drilling for water in an effort to increase the supply. The Water Authority's operating committee is to meet next week to discuss the crisis. Advertisement The Water Authority's Hydraulic Service predicts that the levels of Lake Kinneret, the western Mountain Aquifer (Yarkon-Taninim) and Coast Aquifer will plunge below the safe minimum by the end of the year. The Kinneret's surface is expected to drop to 214.2 meters below sea level, more than a meter below the safe minimum. The deficit in the water balance (amount of water pumped out compared to rainfall) will reach 410 million cubic meters by the end of the year, almost twice as much as last year's deficit. Altogether, the past four years' accumulated deficit is almost a billion cubic meters. The Kinneret is 60 centimeters lower today than it was last year and more than three meters lower than four years ago. Last month - the last main winter month - the Hydraulic Service's monitoring stations did not register a single significant rise in any of Israel's streams. Dropping water levels endanger the water quality, mainly in the coast and western mountain aquifers. The lower the fresh water level, the more sea water or salt water enters the aquifers from deep in the ground. The water being drilled along the coastal plain, from the Dan region to Hadera, has already been contaminated by salt. In some places, sea water has penetrated as far as a kilometer inland. On top of the paucity of rain, domestic water consumption is rising by 4 percent a year. "Among other things, the dry winters increased the water used for gardening," says Tami Shor, Water Service's operation manager. Domestic water consumption is expected to reach an estimated 796 million cubic meters by the end of the year, 134 million cubic meters more than it was at the beginning of the decade, she says. This amount is almost equal to the production of the Ashkelon and Palmahim desalination plants, wiping out the two plants' contribution in less that ten years. The Water Authority intends to drill for groundwater in the Hula area and east Galilee, and to funnel it to the Kinneret and the National Water Carrier, respectively. It will also allow the desalination plants to increase water production," Shor says. The authority will take measures to reduce water consumption in private yards, local authorities and farming communities. "We'll raise water rates for gardening and enforce regulations forbidding watering gardens from November to April, and allow watering only from 7 P.M. to 7 A.M. the rest of the time," she says. "The water crisis is entirely our own doing," says water expert Dr. Peretz Dar, whose water- saving plan was shelved by the Water Authority several years ago. "The government allocated funds for desalination plants but failed to allocate the resources for conservation. We could have reduced consumption by 10 percent and covered a large part of the accumulated deficit in the Kinneret and aquifers," he says. Related articles: Israel facing worst water crisis in past decade Water Authority chief warns of possible shortage in 2008 Cabinet to vote on emergency water conservation measures Bookmark to del.icio.us   Building Google How an Israeli hi-tech guru inspired Google's 'magic formula'. La femme Tzipi Colleagues regale the Sunday Times with stories of Livni's days on a Mossad hit team.   1.   Remedies that won`t work 09:19  |  sh 11/03/08   2.   WAKE UP! Predicted a long time ago. 09:45  |  Joe Sittizen 11/03/08   3.   TAKE THE THUMBS OUT! 09:46  |  Iskander 11/03/08   4.   Israels population has reached tipping point 10:12  |  Paul Wood 11/03/08   5.   how many aprtments with 3 bathrooms are being built in israel? 10:50  |  v hardman 11/03/08   6.   Yeh and MKS wont wash their luxury cars ok 12:13  |  SJ 11/03/08   7.   No water?? 12:30  |  Abba 11/03/08   8.   Water Crisis 12:36  |  Millicent 11/03/08   9.   Well, so much for dialoge with the Syrians... 12:58  |  Johnboy 11/03/08   10.   RESETTLE ALL PALS= MORE H20 13:02  |  petra 11/03/08   11.   just a thought 13:03  |  strongbow 11/03/08   12.   #8 millicent its washing machines and dishwashers that consume wa 13:25  |  v hardman 11/03/08   13.   How much more abuse 15:37  |  Steveng 11/03/08   14.   A partial solution to your problem 04:39  |  Gerald X. Diamond 13/03/08   15.   trials and tribulations 10:05  |  Temple Berryman 15/03/08

Read & React Germany: Transfer of bodies by Hezbollah is bid to advance prisoner swap talks Responses: 170 Report: Livni hunted Palestinian terrorists for Mossad in Europe Responses: 112 Barak and Olmert delay cabinet vote on Gaza Strip cease-fire Responses: 53 Israel urges EU: Show 'caution' in contacts with Damascus Responses: 89 Former minister and journalist Yosef Lapid dies at 77 Responses: 35 Rosner's Domain The ultimate challenge for Pastor Hagee New Guest: Why educate child as Jew when he is not Jewish? McCain on Iran: we are committed to preventing second holocaust (WTR) The next seven months in the Middle East Poll: What political option is better for Israel? More Headlines 03:05 Israel 'surprised' to get soldiers' remains from Hezbollah 23:30 ANALYSIS: Return of bodies is another PR victory for Nasrallah 01:56 Official: Public pressure may force Olmert indictment 19:45 Olmert pays tribute to Yosef Lapid calling him a 'Jew through and through' 21:39 U.S. consulate working to get exit visas for Gaza students 00:47 Who didn't attend New York's Israel march? Israelis 02:40 Mahmoud Abbas says Israel, PA still far from breakthrough 11:26 Israel to build over 800 new homes in East Jerusalem areas 12:48 Experts fear nuclear know-how circulating on black market 17:42 Holocaust survivors from former Soviet Union awarded NIS 19 million 10:39 Report: Livni hunted Palestinian terrorists for Mossad in Europe 11:17 French court annuls Muslim's marriage because wife not a virgin 02:18 IDF soldiers: Nature authority killed dogs cruelly Previous Editions Select Day 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may

Special Offers Advertisement Dead Sea Products Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off. Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Istudy Learn Hebrew in 3 months The Terraces Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya Together Celebrating Israel's 60th The Jewish Agency and You - together making history Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved