Hebron’s sewage crisis flows south toward Negev

Hebron's sewage crisis is spreading southward into the Negev, carrying untreated waste and industrial pollutants across borders and ecosystems. The contaminated flow, described as thick and odorous, runs through the dry hills near Hebron, passing through roads, open land, and Israeli communities before reaching the Beersheba Stream system. This pollution originates primarily from Palestinian towns surrounding Hebron, where the Palestinian Authority oversees civilian services, and includes untreated sewage and industrial waste from the stone industry. The flow continues into Area C, where Israel maintains control over planning and security, and crosses the Green Line into Israeli-administered territories. The polluted stream travels approximately 43 kilometers, moving through areas such as Meitar, Shoket Junction, and eventually into the Beersheba Stream system. Despite the scale of the issue, the flow has not been halted at its source. Eliram Azulay, head of the Har Hebron Regional Council, emphasized that the problem extends beyond the immediate concerns of local residents. He stated that the pollution affects multiple regions, including Har Hebron, Meitar, Omer, Bnei Shimon, and Beersheba, which are forced to bear the costs of collecting and treating the wastewater. Azulay criticized the lack of proper treatment for sewage and industrial waste, noting that the water is so polluted that one could theoretically make kayaks in it, though the smell is unmistakable. Azulay also highlighted the impact of sediment from stone factories, which settles along the stream, clogs channels, and renders adjacent land unusable. Beyond domestic sewage, the stone industry plays a critical role in worsening the contamination. Barak Werker, CEO of Green Now, explained that the industry contributes significantly to the pollution by releasing water laden with fine mineral particles. These particles bypass necessary industrial pretreatment processes and enter municipal sewage systems directly. Biological treatment plants, designed to handle organic materials, struggle with stone dust, which accumulates in pumps, pipes, and treatment basins. Green Now’s 2024 Cross-Border Pollution report further identified chromium from Hebron’s tanning industry as another contaminant contributing to the stream’s degradation. Werker attributed the growing pollution to decades of expansion in both Hebron’s population and its stone industry. He argued that the issue predates the Oslo Accords and cannot be solely blamed on Palestinian negligence. Environmental infrastructure in the region was already inadequate prior to the agreements, and Israel itself had limited advanced wastewater treatment facilities in the 1980s. During the Oslo period, Israel modernized its systems while shifting responsibility for Palestinian communities to the newly formed Palestinian Authority. This division has proven ineffective within a shared watershed, leaving Israeli facilities to address the damage only after the wastewater has traversed Palestinian communities, agricultural lands, and open spaces. According to Green Now, Israeli and Palestinian communities in the West Bank generate about 90 million cubic meters of sewage annually, with approximately 80% coming from the Palestinian population. Of this, roughly 38 million cubic meters from Palestinian towns and villages receive no treatment and instead enter streams, soil, or absorption pits. The environmental consequences of this unregulated discharge are severe, affecting both human health and ecological balance. As the pollution continues to spread, the challenge of managing cross-border wastewater becomes increasingly complex, requiring coordinated efforts between the two administrations.