The eye of Sauron

The Evil according to Tolkien. 

Tel Aviv built on Sand

 

Tel Aviv is built on sand and sandstone, and the recent winter rains have washed away much of its substrate. A big hole has appeared at the crossing of Ibn Gvirol and Kaplan streets (pic). Tel Aviv was built in a hurry and did not develop organically over centuries like old European cities. I wonder how this process can be stopped and reversed. Maybe improving the subterranean drainage system could help? Or injecting some kind of synthetic glue? Refilling the open spaces under the pavement?

Hod HaSharon Paradox

 The neighboring town of Hod HaSharon (66,000 inhabitants) stopped growing. Some 300 families have left it since the last war, and the population is aging. A school and ten kindergartens have been closed. There are no approved building projects because the local WWTP has reached its maximum capacity. The option of connecting to the regional WWTP Shaf-Dan has been put off since it has no extra capacity (*). Yet real estate prices are very high - apartments start at a million US dollars! The city is rich, it is classified in the upper 10% by income. 

(*) Irrespective of the reality of general sewage treatment deficiency, the regulators are demanding quaternary (Reverse Osmosis) treatment of the wastewater. The meaning is an astronomic investment. Totally unnecessary.

The Universe

 

WWTP Shderot-Shaar HaNegev Out of Order

The Shikma River is now pure sewage. That area is the most important aquifer recharge project in South Israel. I think that explains why the Ministry of Environment is not approving new agricultural investments.  

Zsido-Haz - Ghetto Budapest 1944

 

Israel adopts membrane treatment to wastewater

 רז הטיפול הרביעוני כבר יצא לדרך . והוא למעשה התפלה של הקולחין . ייקח כמה שנים למימוש בנתיים להסתפק בשפירים  לבעלי חיים וגידולים רגישים.

כאשר האדמה מזוהמת יש לעשות שימוש במצע מנותק  כאשר המצע עצמו נבדק כנקי

The Shafdan WWTP designed by TAHAL in the seventies is now obsolete, the treated water is considered unfit for agricultural reuse, and all the wastewater will be treated by Reverse Osmosis. There 7 groups that submitted offers. 

A new generation of water engineers is coming. We old farts will die out gradually. 

Illustration: Kubota MBR system.