"Despite the opportunities given, a plan to stop the pollution or any reference from the municipality has not yet been received"
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued an additional warning to the Haifa Municipality about ongoing pollution of the Saadia River with the wastewater discharged from the municipal drainage outlet as well as about waste hazards on the banks of the river
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has issued a warning to the Haifa municipality about ongoing contamination of the Saadia stream with wastewater flowing from the municipal drainage outlet into the natural drainage system and from there into the stream, and from leachates originating from the old waste site and flowing into the stream channel; as well as on waste hazards on the banks of the stream.
◄ Explanation from the field - filmed by a live system • Watch
Deputy Director of the Haifa District of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Yulia Ginzburg:
The Ministry of Environmental Protection takes seriously the continued pollution of the Saadia river from the 'garbage mountain' washing machines and the drainage canal which is the responsibility of the municipality, as well as the consequences of the waste on the banks of the river. Despite the opportunities given to the Haifa municipality, plans to stop pollution and restore the stream, or measures to supervise and enforce those responsible for dumping waste, have not yet been forwarded to the ministry. The office will continue the enforcement procedure until the end of the hazards.
The Haifa district of the Ministry of Environmental Protection demands that the Haifa municipality immediately stop polluting the stream. The municipality is required to submit for the approval of the Ministry a plan to stop the pollution from the drainage system, a plan for a complementary solution that includes the installation of additional infrastructure to protect the stream, a plan to treat and stop the pollution of the stream from the Garbage Dumpers, and a plan to increase supervision and enforcement in order to prevent the continued dumping of waste in the public domain on the banks of the stream. The plans must include timetables, in a way that ensures the implementation of the solutions as soon as possible.
Previous warning from August
Regarding the protection of the stream from pollution from the drainage system, the municipality is required to take care starting from the end of the current rainy season, until the final and permanent disposal of all sources of sewage discharge into the drainage system.
A previous alert regarding the contamination of Nahal Saadia from the drainage system in the Check Post area was sent to the Haifa Municipality in August 2021. Following the alert, the municipality took an internal photograph of the drainage line, where it was found that sewage and industrial materials were being discharged from one of the businesses into the municipal drainage system, and the inspection officials at the municipality cut off the The business printing house from the municipal drainage system.
Despite everything - the flow of sewage did not stop
Despite the actions taken, the flow of sewage from the outlet of the drainage line owned by the municipality to the canal and from there to Nahal Saadia did not stop. Since then, tours of the Ministry of Environmental Protection have been held at the old waste site and in the open areas in the Nahal Saadia area.
The municipality does not respond
Following the pollution, there were also joint tours and meetings between the officials of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, officials from the Association of Cities for the Environment of the Haifa Bay, and between the officials of the municipality. At the last meeting, the representatives of the ministry returned and demanded to receive without delay a plan for treating the leachate from the garbage dump and preventing the pollution of the stream. As of this date, and despite the opportunities given to the municipality, it has not yet submitted a plan or any reference to the matter of stopping the hazard in Nahal Saadia from leachate originating from the Garbage Hill.
The municipality is obligated to prevent contamination of streams, canals and watercourses, as well as to prevent a situation in which pipes intended for the disposal of rainwater will be used for sewage disposal. By virtue of the municipality's responsibility as a local authority to deal with waste hazards that are within its scope by law, the municipality is required in the notice to increase supervision and enforcement to ensure the cleanliness of the river banks and stop the dumping of waste in the public domain, including the strengthening of on-site supervision, blocking access and the use of enforcement cameras.
Issuing orders against the municipality is being considered
The Ministry of Environmental Protection takes seriously the continued pollution of Nahal Saadia, which is a covetable corner and a unique ecosystem that a lot of effort is invested in preserving. To the extent that the municipality does not comply with the ministry's requirements anchored in the warning document, the ministry will consider additional enforcement options, including issuing orders against the municipality.
Indeed, the issue of the pollution of Nahal Saadia refuses to drop from the agenda of the residents of Haifa.
The video published today in Chai Pa shows that beyond the municipality's criminality in not preventing the pollution of a water source - there is also a failure to develop a scenic gem that could easily become a landscape and nature tourism attraction!! For the benefit of the residents... Too bad!!
Not wild boars so don't get preferential treatment
Maybe the chairman of an appointed committee can take care of it