Ahead of winter: The drainage system meant to save Ayalon from flooding is without an operating budget

Ahead of winter, sources involved in the "Floodplain" (Pasht HaAtzafa) project at Ariel Sharon Park warn that the budget required for the operation and maintenance of the drainage system has not yet been arranged. Even though the system is supposed to be a central component in preventing flooding in the Ayalon area as part of the construction of the fourth track of Israel Railways, the funding remains unaddressed.

The message was conveyed to the Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman, Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Transport Miri Regev, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, as well as to a number of senior officials in government ministries, Netivei Israel, the Yarkon Drainage Authority, and planning institutions.

The "Floodplain" project spans approximately 4,000 dunams within the Ariel Sharon Park area and is being built by the company Netivei Israel. It is an integral part of the construction of the fourth track in Ayalon, as without it, the operation of the track would cause massive flooding. In the first stage, the possibility was raised that Netivei Israel would maintain the area for 7 years, but later the government ministries decided to transfer the areas to the responsibility of the Ariel Sharon Park company.

The system is designed to allow, on particularly rainy days, the controlled concentration of runoff water arriving from the Shephelah and mountain regions towards the Ayalon canal. In doing so, it is supposed to serve as a central infrastructure in the defense system against flooding throughout the Ayalon area.

According to the update provided, after several delays caused by the war, Netivei Israel expects to complete the project by the end of 2026 and begin the handover of the areas thereafter. However, alongside the progress of the construction works, a budgetary issue remains open.

"2 billion shekels have already been invested in the construction of the project, but a budget and funding for the operation and maintenance of the area upon completion of the works and its handover to the park company have not yet been arranged."

According to estimates, the maintenance of the project will cost about 50 million shekels per year, not including the additional budget required for the Drainage Authority. The significance is not limited to the maintenance costs of a public area alone. Because without the budgets and resources required for the operation and maintenance of the "Floodplain" areas and the drainage facility, there is a fear that it will not be possible to operate it when needed. According to the message conveyed to government officials, the meaning could be a compromise of the purpose of the entire project and its ability to serve as a system for protection against flooding.