Responding to the water shortage and the Water Authority’s NIS 20 ($5) surcharge per cubic meter for excess consumption, Israelis reduced their July consumption from 73 million cubic meters in 2008 to 63 million cubic meters. Over the summer, despite the usual trend to increase water consumption, this year’s usage has stayed the same as pre-summer levels, One Jerusalem reported.
According to the Water Authority, 70 million cubic meters have been saved thus far with the ultimate goal of saving 120 million cubic meters before the onset of the winter rainy season. The red line, the lowest the Kinneret can go before being risking salt water intrusion, is 213 below sea level. The Kinneret is currently holding at 213.89 meters below sea level, two months before the first rains could come. The final black line is 215 meters below at which point salt water intrusion becomes a definite, the lake becomes salinated for decades, and 60 percent of Israel’s drinking water becomes virtually unusable.