Mixed results in environmental surveyey

Beersheba has clean drinking water but air is moderately polluted according to recent survey.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
The city of Beersheba has clean drinking water but its air is moderately polluted and it does not do enough to recycle its garbage or to take care of its public gardens, according to a survey by the Israel Union for Environmental Defense (Adam, Teva, v'Din). The organization also found that the city's website does not offer residents sufficient information on the local environment, saying it presents no information on tests done on air and water quality, and only limited information on the open spaces in the city, reports www.local.co.il. According to the report, as it has done with other cities in the past, the organization examined the municipal website to collect information on five specific areas of environmental interest. "To our sorrow, difficulty exists in locating all the relevant environmental information that would enable us to see the amount of environmental pollution or the amount of protection the city is giving the environment," the organization said. Nevertheless, it found that the city's drinking water had undergone all the required tests and was clean. But the city's air quality was rated "moderate," as were its recycling efforts. The report said the city was recycling only 14 percent of its garbage, while the law required it to recycle at least 25%. The organization also found that while a number of open areas in the city were designated as "green," they were not landscaped or maintained properly. The organization also rated the "transparency" of environmental information on the city's Web site, and graded it "moderate." It said the website contained thorough information on the city's recycling activities and facilities, and limited information on the city's open spaces, but there were no reports on tests done on air or water quality. No comment was reported from the city.