Water Wisdom: Preparing the Groundwork for Cooperative and Sustainable Water Management in the Middle East

Editors’ Summary

Table 7.1 Summary of the existing Israeli drinking-water standards Element or compound Maximum level (mg/l) Element or compound Maximum level (mg/l) Organic substances 1. Volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.) 2. Pesticides & herbicides [A] [B] [A] [B] Benzene 0.01 0.005 Ethylene dibromide 0.00005 Benzo(a)pyrene 0.0007 0.0005 Lindane 0.002 0.001 Dichlorobenzene (1,2) 1 0.6 Alachlor 0.02 0.004 Dichlorobenzene (1,4) 0.3 0.075 Heptachlor 0.0004 Dichloroethane (1,2) 0.005 0.004 Chlordane 0.002 0.001 Dichloroethylene (1,1) 0.03 0.01 Methoxychlor 0.02 Dichloroethylene (1,2) 0.1 0.05 Endrine 0.002 Trichloroethane (1,1,1) 0.2 Atrazine 0.002 Trichloroethylene 0.05 0.03 DBCP (1,2 Dibromo-3-chloropropane) 0.001 0.0003 Tetrachloroethylene 0.04 0.01 Chloroform 0.1 0.08 Aldicarb 0.01 Carbon tetrachloride 0.005 Trifluralin 0.02 Monochlorobenzene 0.3 0.1 2,4,5 TP (Silvex) 0.01 Formaldehyde 0.9 Simazine 0.002 Toluene 0.7 Permethrin 0.02 Xylene 1 0.5 DDT 0.002 0.001 Styrene 0.05 2.4-D (Dichlorphenoxy acetic acid) 0.03 Organoleptic effect parameters Zinc 5 Vinyl chloride 0.002 Iron 1 Trihalomethanes (total) 0.1 Total solids 1,500 Monochloroamines 3 Chloride 600 400 Di(2-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate 0.008 Anionic detergents 1 0.5 (di-octil-phthalate) Copper 1.4 Inorganic substances Magnesium 150 Arsenic 0.05 0.01 Manganese 0.5 0.2 Barium 1 Phenols 0.002 Mercury 0.001 Oil and grease 0.3 Chromium 0.05 Turbidity 1 NTU Nickel 0.05 0.02 pH 6.5–9.5 Selenium 0.01 Taste and odor Acceptable Lead 0.01 Color “platinum cobalt” 15 Cyanide 0.05 Fluoride 1.7 Cadmium 0.005 Radioactive radiation Silver 0.01 Effective radioactivity/person 0.1 mSV/yr Nitrates 70 Note: [A] equals the existing values; [B] equals the recommendations of the Adin Committee. Sulphates are 437 . 5 ppm, minus 1 . 25 times the concentration of magnesium. residents. Supervision and enforcement of the regulations is conducted by the Ministry of Health. Trends in Drinking-Water Quality Israel has suffered over the years from a shortage of freshwater; moreover, existing sources of natural water (especially the Coastal Aquifer) continue to suffer contamination and are thus excluded from supplying drinking water. As a result, Israel has begun desalinizing seawater to increase its water resources. It is anticipated that the contamination of the water resources will continue and Israel will be forced to increase the production of desalinized water. The decline in the quality of the water resources raises the question of how the quality of the drinking-water supply is improving. The explanation is that each contaminated source of water is excluded from supplying drinking water (usually it is transferred to supply agricultural irrigation), and so the drinking-water system receives only high-quality water. Bottled Water In Israel many people drink bottled water. One of the plausible explanations for the phenomenon is the actual taste of the water itself. The taste of the chlorinated Kinneret water, which supplies most cities of Israel via the National Water Carrier, is often deemed offensive and may increase the desire to drink bottled water. A new large filtration plant that treats all the National Water Carrier water has begun operation and has improved its taste to some degree. Other reasons for consumer preference for bottled water may be the reports in newspapers, electronic media, and even the reports of the state comptroller, which do not distinguish between the contamination of the water in the aquifers and the better quality of the drinking water in the water supply network. Conclusion Israel’s drinking-water quality has improved dramatically over its history. Standards have been steadily more stringent, consistent with international trends and expectations. Even as the quality of water resources themselves have deteriorated , water management interventions have for the most part prevented contamination at the faucet. Yet the public in Israel seems to be losing confidence in the quality of its drinking water and shows a preference for bottled water, its high price not withstanding. references Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/environment/water_protection_ management/l28079_en.htm (accessed July 20, 2009...