Ein Jones Spring Undergoes Renovation Amid Environmental Concerns

Renovation and safety upgrade work has commenced at the Ein Jones spring near Hamat Gader, located in the Jordan Valley within the Jordan Valley Regional Council. The historic structure has suffered from years of deterioration, including partial wall collapses, and was declared a dangerous structure posing a public risk.

The NIS 2 million project is funded by the Israel Land Authority (ILA) through the Open Spaces Preservation Fund and is being carried out by the Kinneret Drainage and Rivers Authority. The ILA stated that gravel on the pool floors will be replaced with clean river stones. The work, expected to last four months, involves reinforcing the structure's walls and windows and stabilizing walls at risk of collapse to ensure public safety. Preparatory work on the spring pools will also take place, removing existing gravel and replacing it with large, clean river stones to allow for restoration while maintaining water flow.

During the renovation, the site will be closed to the public due to safety concerns. Upon completion, Ein Jones is scheduled to reopen free of charge. However, the project has drawn opposition from environmental activists, including Ella Naveh, an epidemiologist and activist with the Save Ein Jones campaign. Naveh claims the work is being conducted at an archaeological site without the supervision of the Antiquities Authority, leading her to involve the police. She alleges the water is currently polluted and black, with ancient stones being moved by a tractor, and that past authorities used unsuitable materials.

Naveh further contends that authorities aim to transform the natural spring into a "splash pool" and are concealing the fact that the nearby Hamat Gader springs are already over-pumped. She believes the public spring is intended for commercial use, despite an ongoing water tribunal case, and accuses the Water Authority and Antiquities Authority of neglecting their duties. Naveh also claims the ILA, the project's funder, is operating without transparency and plans to market hotels to investors who will benefit from the spring's water. She described Ein Jones as the last remaining free medicinal spring in Israel and expressed concern that planned work, which she states lacks environmental assessments and contradicts a final court ruling, could harm the water. These claims represent the activists' assertions and have not been determined by authorities or the court.