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Government mulling plan to upgrade Dan Region's sewage system By Zafrir Rinat, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: sewage system, Negev  Government officials are working on a plan to revamp Israel's central sewage treatment system so it can cope with an increased flow in the Tel Aviv area. The move would also perhaps free up for construction land currently occupied by treatment facilities. In a meeting two weeks ago, National Infrastructures Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Water Authority head Uri Shani decided to examine new ways to increase the capabilities of the Dan Region's treatment facilities, which handle one-third of the country's sewage. "The plan is of strategic importance to the country and a major step toward dealing with the water crisis," Ben-Eliezer said. Advertisement To date, sewage produced in the Dan Region has been treated via a process that allowed it to seep through sand dunes west of Rishon Letzion. After a six-month period, the cleansed water is pumped from the ground and used for agriculture in the Negev. Some 150 million cubic meters of raw sewage currently undergoes this process. Since the 1980s, the quantity of raw sewage treated has grown sevenfold while the quantity of purified water has grown 25 times. "The increase in sewage produced annually is 6 percent and the amount of land that can process it is finite," said Rafi Ifargan, an official at the Mekorot water company, which runs the sewage treatment facility. "Already some sewage is piped untreated into the sea because it cannot be processed." The water authority is thus considering two alternatives to tackle the increase in sewage. The first is to find new areas for building sewage-treatment plants as well as places where sewage can be stored. Another alternative is building membranes that will filter sewage and replace the current system that relies on sewage-treatment pools. Over 1,000 dunams are currently taken up by such pools. If they are closed, the area may be used to accumulate rainwater, which would increase the amount of water stored in the coastal aquifer. But some of the land may be used to build new buildings, a move that would be strongly protested by environmental groups, who want the area made part of a greenbelt. Related articles: Eilat beaches closed to swimming due to severe sewage leak Seven Sea of Galilee beaches close due to pollution, lifeguard dearth Interior Ministry closes down Tel Aviv beaches due to pollution Bookmark to del.icio.us   In his father's memory Gilad Sharon's son plans to write his father's memoirs as he lies in a coma. Jammed FM Police close an English radio station which encourages Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.   1.   Incompetent, corrupt government in Israel 09:48  |  Joe Sittizen 07/04/08   2.   Re Joe #1... suggest recruiting Ofer Eini to the cause... 16:43  |  Esther 07/04/08

Today Online Ben-Eliezer: If Iran attacks, we will destroy it Responses: 206 U.S. evangelist pledges $6 million in contributions to Israel Responses: 151 U.S., Israel fear Iran has N. Korean nuclear know-how Responses: 131 Akiva Eldar: Time for Bush to intervene in Mideast peace talks Responses: 74 More Headlines 21:27 Erekat: Peace process credibility 'eaten up' by settlement activities 02:03 Home Front civil defense drills to continue with 10 A.M. siren 02:36 Opposition to national service in Israel's Arab sector is bitter 23:13 Ariel Sharon's son to pen memoir touching on father's life 12:01 Polish PM: I didn't know about my grandfather's Nazi past 00:33 Friedmann lashes back at Supreme Court and Barak 21:46 Police close English radio aimed at Israeli-Palestinian coexistence 19:36 Court rejects Katsav's plea to postpone hearing on sex charges 21:35 Gov't mulls marking Israel's 60th anniversary with tax cut 22:42 Palestinian, 15, dies after hit by bus carrying settlers in W. Bank 21:54 UN official: Gaza medical system in 'pathetic state' Previous Editions Select Day 07 apr 06 apr 04 apr 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar

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