Hebron’s sewage crisis flows south toward Negev

A thick, foul-smelling flow of untreated sewage and industrial waste from Hebron is coursing through the dry hills south of the city, creating an environmental crisis that extends into Israeli territory. The polluted water, sometimes pale and difficult to ignore, travels roughly 43 kilometers, impacting communities like Meitar and Shoket Junction before reaching the Beersheba Stream system.

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The problem with what we call Hebron Valley is not a problem for Har Hebron Regional Council residents only. This problem is a huge problem for Israel.

This wastewater, originating primarily from Palestinian towns around Hebron where the Palestinian Authority is responsible for civilian services, crosses into Area C, which is under Israeli planning and security control. It then continues past the Green Line into Israel. Eliram Azulay, head of the Har Hebron Regional Council, emphasized that the problem, dubbed the Hebron Valley issue, is not confined to Israeli residents but poses a significant challenge for Israel as a whole.

Azulay attributes the pollution to the Palestinian Authority's failure to adequately treat sewage from Hebron-area municipalities and wastewater from stone-cutting factories. He stated that Israeli communities are left to bear the financial burden of collecting and treating the contaminated water. "You can make kayaks in this sewage," Azulay remarked, highlighting the severity of the contamination and the pervasive odor.

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You can make kayaks in this sewage. And you know, it smells.

Adding to the problem is the significant contribution from Hebron's stone industry. Wastewater laden with fine mineral particles from stone cutting and processing enters municipal sewage systems without the industrial pretreatment required for regulated factories within Israel. Barak Werker, chief executive of Green Now, explained that this stone dust, along with contaminants like chromium from the tanning industry, makes the wastewater impossible to treat effectively at its source. Biological treatment plants are not equipped to handle such mineral sediment, which accumulates and disrupts essential infrastructure like pumps and pipes. This pollution has developed over decades with the growth of Hebron's population and industry.

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The biggest problem in the Hebron Stream is the stone industry in Hebron itself. It releases water containing stone particles, making it impossible to treat the wastewater at its source.