Israel to launch NIS 500 million project to protect aquifer against pollution
01 Aug 2009
Israel is launching a project to save its water following growing concerns that one of the country's vital sources of underground water might turn salty.
Mekroot, the national water company has been authorised to begin a New Israeli Shekel (NIS) 500 million rescue programme by the National Water Authority, to undertake the project to counter salination in the coastal aquifer.
Under the plan, supervised by Yossi Gutman and Ido Negev, 35 sites from the north of Ashdod to Sderot will be drilled, to allow Mekroot to pump out up to 40 million cubic meters of water carrying salts and other minerals.
The water will then undergo desalination in special plants to render it potable and the salt residue from the process will be pumped out to sea.
The coastal aquifer stretches from Caesarea to the Gaza Strip and is one of the most important sources of groundwater in Israel. However, it is under serious threat of chemical degradation, salination, microbial pollution and contamination by toxic organic compounds.
According to the most recent report by the hydrological service about 15 per cent of the total amount of water pumped out of the aquifer falls short of water standards on chloride and nitrate concentration.
