Israel Water Authority: Israel facing worst water crisis in 80 years

Major sources of drinking water in Israel, including the Sea of Galilee and the mountain aquifer are all well below their red lines
14.07.08 / 00:00
Israel Water Authority: Israel facing worst water crisis in 80 years
14.07.08
Israel Water Authority: Israel facing worst water crisis in 80 years

Major sources of drinking water in Israel, including the Sea of Galilee and the mountain aquifer are all well below their red lines
 
Uri Shani Israel Water Authority Director announced last week at a special press conference in Tel Aviv that Israel's water supply faces "the worst crisis in 80 years”, since they started keeping records.
 
Major sources of drinking water in Israel, including the Sea of Galilee (The Kinneret) and the mountain aquifer are all well below their red lines.
 
Shani noted that the coastal aquifer had fallen below the black line, indicating it could suffer rapid and possibly irreversible damage. He predicted that the Sea of Galilee could fall below its black line - 213 meters below sea level, by December 2008.
 
In order to overcome the crisis the Israel Water Authority had authorized the following emergency measures: water will be pumped from the sources of the Sea of Galilee; desalination plants will increase output; and polluted wells will be purified. Water use for gardening will also be limited. The price of water is expected to nearly double.