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"Mystery": Unusual water pollution on Palmachim beach shut down two desalination plants

The Water Authority confirmed the report of the shutdown of the desalination plant, and announced that the plant had returned to work.

Dr. Dror Tzurel, of the Scientific Center for Monitoring and Research, said that water turbidity occurs in Israel every year during the spring months. However, an environmentalist claims that this explanation is very surprising to him.

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• The environment

• sea

• Palmachim

Yoav Itiel

Thursday, 02 September 2021, 20:27 Updated: 20:56

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Environmentalists report severe sea pollution in the Palmachim coastal area, which has turned the water turbid and caused the deaths of fish ejected ashore.

As a result, the activity of the two desalination plants in Palmachim and Sorek was suspended, as the polluted seawater could not be pumped out.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environmental Protection received a report of high turbidity in the seawater in the Palmachim area, and the state authorities deny that it is a pollution.

The Water Authority confirmed the report of the shutdown of the desalination plant, and announced that the Palmachim desalination plant returned to work yesterday (Wednesday) and that in the next few hours it will reach full capacity.

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Over the years there have been reports of infection.

Fish ejected to the beach in Palmachim (Photo: Photos by surfers)

According to laboratory testing conducted by the Research Institute of Oceanography Israel (IOLR), found that the source of suction line load Palmachim facility, sea pollution and that was at the track the subject with the Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for the treatment of contaminated near the desalination plant.

According to Dr. Dror Tzurel, of the Scientific Center for Monitoring and Research, at the Marine Unit of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, says that after testing the water, it was determined that it is an organic substance called poopitin that originates from the breakdown of the chlorophyll pigment, the pigment that gives green algae color.

Dr. Tzurel said that micro-algae blooms are a phenomenon that occurs off the coast of Israel every year during the spring and late summer months and that algae blooms were also detected in Haifa Bay at the end of July as part of national monitoring samples. Effluents that flow into coastal streams throughout the year contribute to larger and more prolonged rashes, ”he explained, adding that,“ Micro-algae blooms can also be toxic to marine animals.

In the present case in Palmachim no massive mortality of fish was recorded.

Although some fish were photographed on the beach, these are a few details of an invasive fish of the migratory bison species (known as Abu Nafha, YA) ".

Seawater in Palmachim (Photo: Photos by surfers)

"This fish has invaded the Mediterranean in recent years. Because it is inedible, fishermen who catch it throw it dead from the sea and from there it is washed ashore. Most of the dead fish that are washed ashore along Israel's shores during the year belong to this species."

On the other hand, an environmentalist from the Palmachim area told Walla!

"This explanation is very surprising to me. I have lived and worked in the area for 15 years and I have never seen anything like it. The tests show that the yellow stain is partly dead algae and partly clay. And this in itself is a mystery and requires examination. And will deny it. "

In recent years there have been reports of water turbidity and their greenish color, but on the other hand there are many attempts to silence it.

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