Good news for nature lovers: A comprehensive plan has just been approved to help exploit and treat the surplus sewage and effluents discharged into the environment and stream water, so that they will no longer flow into the streams and will not harm nature.
The issue of water quality is a significant and important component of the national project to rehabilitate the Tzipori River basin, which is currently underway in a number of areas: physical planning, communities, economic development, agriculture, tourism, field management and more.
Will be cleaner. Nahal Tzipori, photo: Kishon Drainage and Streams Authority Spokesperson's Office
In order to identify the roots of the problem and provide a solution, the Drainage Authority and the Yad Hanadiv Foundation commissioned an environmental risk survey carried out by the Nature and Parks Authority. The survey findings indicated that there are two wastewater treatment plants that are responsible for most of the wastewater that has damaged the quality of the Tzipori River water over the past years (and to a lesser extent also the water of the Yiftahel River): the Natufa Sewage Treatment Center (in Kfar Manda) and the Pavel Wastewater Treatment Center.
This water discharged excess effluent, which was not utilized by the farmers - due to its poor quality, lack of demand during the winter season or high salinity level, and it reached nature. Now, following extensive activity, the flow of wastewater to these streams will be stopped and their water quality will increase significantly.
The plan will be implemented in two phases, the first of which will treat wastewater from Manda wastewater treatment centers and yield results within the coming year. The plan will provide a solution that will help exploit the surplus effluent that is not currently utilized and will also address the problem of high salinity in the water.
Nahal Hatseva flows // Roy Galili
The surplus effluent will now be transferred for further treatment and utilization by Jezreel Valley effluents, and some of them will be transferred to the Lower Galilee Sewage Treatment Center, which will treat them and transfer them to farmers. In a few years, the Manda sewage treatment center will be canceled and the raw sewage will be transferred to the Sde Ilan Center in the Lower Galilee and out of the basins of the Yiftahel River and Zippori River.
No less significant problem is the high salinity due to reasons that have not yet been definitively clarified. At this stage of the plan, a water line will be laid that will allow, if necessary, to dilute water coming from Mekorot's drilling in the saline effluents from the Pure Wastewater Center that is paving.
The program's budget was approved thanks to very significant assistance from the Water Authority (NIS 25 million, about 70% of the total cost). The rest of the budget will be provided by the developers, with the support of the project to rehabilitate the Zippori River basin.
"Improving the quality of water in the river is one of the most important and ambitious goals." Nahal Tzipori, photo: Kishon Drainage and Streams Authority Spokesperson's Office
Kishon River Drainage and Streams Authority Director General Haim Hemi said this week about the solution found in the form of the Hannaton Plant: "Improving the water quality in Zippori River is one of the most important and ambitious goals in the Zippori River Basin rehabilitation project. This stems from the recognition that it is at the basis of the ecological and social rehabilitation of the river. The beginning of the solution, in the form of the Hannaton factory, is an exciting moment that radiates optimism about the entire rehabilitation process. We congratulate the Water Authority and Jezreel Valley effluents for recognizing the importance of the project and thank you for the significant support that made it possible."
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