Water Pollution

Following severe pollution discovered in water tests in the north of the country, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection are warning against entering several particularly popular tourist sites due to an immediate health risk.

The Sorek A desalination plant has ceased operations again due to a spike in seawater pollution. Currently, only the Sorek B and Palmachim plants are operating at partial capacity.

The Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate closure of all Haifa beaches for swimming due to abnormal sampling results from a sea water quality test. The public is requested to follow the instructions and avoid swimming until an official update is received.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection warn against entering a number of streams in the north, after sampling found deviations in fecal coliform levels. At this stage, the source of the pollution is unknown and monitoring continues.

A report by the Binyamin Regional Council points to a series of cases where sewage and waste were dumped into open areas and stream channels, raising concerns about environmental consequences that extend beyond the region's borders. Binyamin Regional Council head and Yesha Council chairman Israel Gantz: "The State of Israel must treat this situation as a national environmental threat."

At the peak of the bathing season, the Ministry of Health has issued an urgent notice following alarming water quality test results, prohibiting swimming at two popular beaches in Haifa.

The court approved a mediation agreement that will lead to the upgrade and expansion of the Timarim wastewater treatment plant by 2029. The facility will be able to treat double the amount of sewage, and additional reservoirs will be built. The agreement was signed following a class action lawsuit filed by beachgoers and surfers on Ashdod's beaches.

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.