Sewage from the Mahanayim reservoir has intermittently flowed into the Kinneret for the past week. The reservoir receives sewage from the 30,000 residents of Rosh Pina and Hatzor Haglilit and from the Pri Galil - Vita plant, which is equivalent to the biological waste of 160,000 people.
The overflow has caused the opening of the Tzahar [Tzfat (Safed)-Hatzor-Rosh Pina] wastewater purification plant to be brought forward to mid-February 2003. Tzahar is designed to purify the Mahanayim reservoir. Until it is ready, from tomorrow the water from the reservoir will be sent to a service reservoir to prevent untreated sewage from entering the lake.
Ministry of the Environment northern district director Shlomo Katz said the rise in the Kinneret’s water level has led the uncontrolled entry of many contaminants from overflowing wastewater purification plants and fertilizers.
These pollutants are being added to the Kinneret’s regular contaminants, including sewage from cow sheds and fish farms. Another major source of pollution are the 30,000 cattle on ranches along the rivers of the Galilee and Golan Heights.
The Ministry of the Environment and the Jewish National Fund have been trying for several years to prevent cattle ranching along the river channels by fencing in the herds.
The Ministry of Health said in response, “The Ministry of Health takes a serious view of any inflow of wastewater to the Kinneret and any other potable water source. The ministry conducts water quality tests of the Kinneret throughout the year. Since a sewage purification pipe that carries a limited quantity of purified water is at issue, the water quality has probably not been affected at this stage, and there is no reason not to fish in the lake. Nevertheless, the ministry will continue to monitor and check the water quality.”
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on February 10, 2003