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May 25, 2001/Sivan 3, 5761, Vol. 53, No.34
Israeli water crisis on verge of 'catastrophe'
JESSICA STEINBERG
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - Allison Pollack gazes at her green grass with a mixture of pride and remorse: She loves having a velvety lawn, but regrets wasting water to keep it green.
"I feel so guilty letting Asaf run through the sprinkler," Pollack said.
She also lets her 3-year-old son play with the garden hose - but only if it's directed toward the lawn, not the patio.
The next few weeks, however, may bring an end to Asaf's water sports.
Israel is considering imposing a ban on watering lawns and automatic car washes after three consecutive winters of drought have devastated the country's water reserves.
Earlier this week, the government's water management committee urged cutting 10 percent from the existing water supply to avoid what they termed "a catastrophe."
The committee is responsible for safeguarding the nation's water reserves and ensuring supplies of fresh water.
Israel's three main sources of fresh water are the coastal and mountain aquifers and the Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Kinneret.
"Israel's water sources are empty," said Shimon Tal, the water commissioner. "The situation is so serious that we are living from hand to mouth. We have lost our ability to regulate flow."
Besides the ban on watering lawns, the committee has proposed prohibiting the establishment of new municipal parks and gardens and introducing water quotas.
This could cut down on Israelis' shower time, as well as on the water for washing dishes and laundry.
Tal also is expected to call for at least a 10 percent cut in water supplies to industry.
Some legislators, meanwhile, are calling for compensation to farmers who don't use up their annual water allocations, which already have been cut by an average of 50 percent.
Locally grown tomatoes, cucumbers and avocados have always been staples of the Israeli diet, but the cost of watering these crops makes them not cost-effective.
Crops and car washes aside, the government has to ensure that there is enough water for Israelis to drink this summer.
According to the hydrological service, only 87 million cubic meters of water can be drawn from the Kinneret this year, compared to the usual average of 420 million cubic meters.
Indeed, a glimpse of the Kinneret reveals a wide expanse of dense reed- and seaweed-filled sand yards away from knee-high water. The water was visibly deeper just a few years ago.
"This is the first year we are pumping to a degree that risks irreparable damage to basic water supply to consumers," Tal said.
According to water experts, the level of the Kinneret ideally should not be allowed to drop under approximately 214 meters below sea level. That's just about 1 meter above its present level - and the red line already has been lowered several times.
Mekorot's Sapir pumping station draws water from the Kinneret and pumps it directly into the national water carrier. If the level were to drop much beyond the committee's recommended cutoff, the station's three pumps would not be able to operate at the same time - and all three pumps have to operate during the summer to ensure a steady flow of water.
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