Further pollution concerns in Tel Aviv

Recent results have revealed that two-thirds of the water wells in Tel Aviv are too polluted to use, adding to recent concerns expressed by the Environmental Protection Ministry (EPM) over air pollution in the region.

Data collected by the Health Ministry and Water Authority found that 96 of a total 166 wells in the Tel Aviv area were closed due to contamination. The wells have been contaminated by manufacturing and agricultural activities, as well as sewage systems that have seeped into the groundwater table.

Additionally, seawater intrusion has caused salinity levels to rise. Over-pumped wells have weakened the barrier to coastal aquifers, which has led to a spike in salinity which is hard to remedy.

The worrying news comes after the EPM released plans to declare Tel Aviv a city with polluted air. The ministry cited data that showed the region had fallen short of air quality targets, but the information was refuted by the Tel Aviv municipality.

Haaretz correspondent Zafrir Rinat said: "The increasingly burdened distribution system, rampant sewage leaks, and agricultural runoff have been part of the country’s water narrative for decades."

Posted by Joseph Hutton