Water for thought

A burst sewage pipe recently caused the water system in parts of Jerusalem to be deemed unsafe to drink and residents had to use bottled water or boil tap water for two minutes before using it. This was meant for everything from washing dishes to brushing teeth.

Although these kinds of events don’t happen often in Israel the incident left many unanswered questions over a 24 hour period.

After all, who’s negligence caused it, how come it took more than a day for the water company to do testing, and was it spring water companies who sabotaged the sewage system? Well, maybe the last concern is a bit farfetched but in a land where a major chunk of the news is based on speculation there has to be one crazy accusation being made to get the government’s attention.

Nevertheless, the entire episode helped me revisit our own water problems in the walls of our apartment and how when the plumber came to fix our leak (see previous post) he showed me the inside of the metal piping system on the section he was replacing. Incredible (or not if you’re used to seeing these things…) the pipe had corroded from within and when this happens they are replaced with plastic as it outlasts most other materials.

The fact it was rusted through meant all the tap water we’ve been drinking probably has some ‘extra iron’ in it….

Seeing how much of the piping in our rented apartment is still metal pipes and the fact most are probably rusted through we’re happy we’ve been using a special filter to clear out any foreign substances and particles coming through the kitchen faucet.

So, while parts of Israel (like the Golan) have some of the best water I’ve ever tasted if you live in the city it might be a good idea to do get one of these or something similar (some sit under the sink with the filter popping through the counter) for your drinking pleasure.