Patients and visitors at hospitals better beware of the water. Hebrew daily "Ma'ariv" reports that a series of tests in recent months found poor quality water at many of the nation's hospitals. At three hospitals, excessive concentrations of lead, a toxic metal, were found. Until the situation improves, the Ministry of Health has ordered these hospitals not to use hot water for drinking or cooking.
A senior doctor concluded in a special Ministry of Health report, "The water quality on the basis of the tests is poor, and the concentrations of chemicals in the water exceeds parameters by hundreds of percent above the standards. Excesses were for all metals tested: iron, lead, aluminum, zinc, and copper."
At the Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson Hospital) in Petah Tivka, aluminum concentrations were 5.5 times the standard, and the turbidity was eight times the standard. At Assaf Horefeh Hospital near Rishon LeZion, lead concentrations were triple the standard. At Ziv Hospital in Safed, turbidity was seven times the standard, aluminum concentrations were eight times the standard, and at Ha'emek Hospital in Afula,aluminum concentrations were 44 times the standard.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 13, 2011
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