Environmental Protection Ministry issues several bids with aim of turning neglected bodies of water into prized natural resource

01.23.13

The Environmental Protection Ministry has issued several bids for the rehabilitation of polluted rivers and streams across Israel, Ynet has learned.

The ministry said that is has been able to secure NIS 8 million (roughly $2.14 million) in government funds, with aims of turning neglected bodies of water into natural resources that can be both enjoyable and profitable.

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The funds will go toward projects that encourage educational activities and will also be invested in projects aimed at rehabilitation of indigenous vegetation to the areas; eco-friendly infrastructure projects, and the restoration of the areas’ ecological balance.

“Alongside restoration work that has already been carried out on the Kishon and Yarkon rivers, we’ve expanded the river restoration project to the periphery,” Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan said.

“We will clean up rivers that have been polluted for decades. We are returning them to the public as centers of leisure for every Israeli family.”

The ministry has already spent some NIS 170 million ($45.5 million) on rehabilitating rivers across Israel, including the Alexander, Taninim, Yarkon, Tavor, and Shikma rivers.

So far, some NIS 220 million ($58.85 million) have been spent on the rehabilitation of the Kishon River alone.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4332350,00.html