Three-fourths of 236 monitored sites contained varying levels of pollution from gasoline or fuel additives
Zafrir Rinat Aug 22, 2017

The groundwater near three-quarters of Israeli gas stations and storage tanks for which data are available is contaminated.

That, according to a report released this week by the Water Authority monitoring 236 fuel facilities. Most are gas stations, a smaller number are storage depots.

In some of the sites, the contamination consists of a layer of gasoline floating on top of the water. In other cases, traces of gasoline and of the octane-raising fuel additive MTBE have dissolved into the water.

Since these materials are toxic and carcinogenic, the Water Authority has placed a high priority on preventing additional sites from becoming contaminated and therefore prohibited for use as a source of drinking water.

In 2016 the Water Authority tested the groundwater near 11 fuel facilities and found contamination in nine of them. Tests conducted since then have found groundwater contaminated with fuel at 10 wells whose water is used for various purposes. The drill sites were in some cases 400 meters from a gas station.

The groundwater near three-quarters of Israeli gas stations and storage tanks for which data are available is contaminated.

That, according to a report released this week by the Water Authority monitoring 236 fuel facilities. Most are gas stations, a smaller number are storage depots.

In some of the sites, the contamination consists of a layer of gasoline floating on top of the water. In other cases, traces of gasoline and of the octane-raising fuel additive MTBE have dissolved into the water.

Since these materials are toxic and carcinogenic, the Water Authority has placed a high priority on preventing additional sites from becoming contaminated and therefore prohibited for use as a source of drinking water.

In 2016 the Water Authority tested the groundwater near 11 fuel facilities and found contamination in nine of them. Tests conducted since then have found groundwater contaminated with fuel at 10 wells whose water is used for various purposes. The drill sites were in some cases 400 meters from a gas station.
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