Nachal El Al in northern Israel was shut down on Monday morning, 16 Elul, by Israel’s Health Ministry after water sampling pointed to infection in the nachal. Health officials are quick to add this is not connected in any way to Leptospirosis, but another pollutant.

This latest ministry announcement came 24 hours after Nachal Zeitoun was reopened, which was closed after numerous samplings pointed to unsafe water conditions.

In recent days, the Israel Nature & National Parks Protection Authority has begun to transfer clean water to the northern rivers in order to clean the streams from the pollution that prevails in the area.

This type of action is intended to increase the flow of water in streams that have been forbidden for swimming according to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines due to the abnormal water samples. Redirecting clean water is a method of diluting the pollutant concentration in the stream and to permit swimming again.

The Ministry of Health stresses that to date the streams and springs that have been temporarily banned for swimming are: Nachal Hashmushim, Zaki, Yehudiya, Jilbon, Majarsa and Jordan Park.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)