Warning to travelers: Popular streams closed due to abnormal pollution

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection are warning travelers and local authorities against entering nine streams and water sites in the north, after sampling conducted on Monday revealed abnormal levels of fecal coliform bacteria. The peak was measured at the Haruv pool in the Tzalmon stream — 3,700 bacteria per 100 milliliters of water.

Abnormalities were also found in the Banias, in the Kfar Szold bridge sector, and in the Hasbani — from the Roman bridge to the stream confluence promenade, at the entrance to the Jordan. In the Jordan River, abnormalities were found along the section from the Yosef bridge to the Arik bridge, with 3,400 bacteria measured at the HaPkak bridge and 2,050 at the Lehavot HaBashan bridge.

Other sites where abnormal results were found include:

• Meshushim pool: 2,300 bacteria

• Zaki: 1,300

• Arik bridge on the Jordan: 1,700

• Mitzpe Ateret: 1,900

• HaDudot bridge: 700

• Dvora waterfall in Gilbon, El Al stream, Dalavim pool in the Kziv stream, and other sampled sites.

The ministries recommend avoiding these sites until sampling results return to normal and stable levels. The Ministry of Environmental Protection stated that no specific source of pollution has been identified.

Routine sampling is carried out every two weeks by inspectors from the Nature and Parks Authority at fixed points in the northern streams of the Upper Galilee, the Golan, and the Western Galilee. The ministries will continue monitoring and will update the public as necessary. Notably, at the HaHamisha bridge on the Jordan, the bacterial count was too high to be measured.