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Health Ministry Warns of Contamination in Northern Streams
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued a warning on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, advising the public against entering several popular streams in northern Israel due to exceptionally high levels of bacterial contamination.
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What happened
- 01The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection warned against entering nine northern Israeli streams due to high bacterial contamination.
- 02Water samples taken on October 4 and 5, 2026, showed bacteria levels exceeding the recommended limit of 400 per 100 ml.
- 03The Hamshushim Pool recorded the highest contamination level with 2,100 E. coli bacteria per 100 ml of water.
- 04The Jordan River near the Lahavot HaBashan bridge registered a high bacterial count of 2,000 per 100 ml.
- 05The affected waterways include the Banias, Hatzbani, Jordan, Gilabon, Zaki, Yehudiya, Tzalmon, and Kziv streams.
- 06The Ministry of Environmental Protection has not yet identified the source of the widespread water pollution.
- 07The Nature and Parks Authority conducts routine water quality monitoring in these northern streams every two weeks.
- 08The entry restrictions will remain in effect until subsequent water samples show stable and safe quality levels.
Water samples taken on October 4 and 5, 2026, revealed that concentrations of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria exceeded the recommended limit of 400 per 100 ml. High readings were recorded at the Hamshushim Pool with 2,100 bacteria, the Gilabon with 1,900, and the Jordan River near the Lahavot HaBashan bridge, which registered 2,000 bacteria per 100 ml.
The warning affects nine streams, including the Banias, Hatzbani, Jordan, Hamshushim Pool, Gilabon, Zaki, Yehudiya, Tzalmon, and Kziv. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the source of the widespread contamination has not yet been identified.
Routine water quality monitoring in these northern streams is performed bi-weekly by Nature and Parks Authority inspectors. The ministries announced that the entry restrictions will remain in place until further sampling confirms that water quality has returned to stable and safe levels.
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