MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) criticized the government for not making better use of the deluge of rainwater barreling into the country. The Knesset, he explained, should pass his proposed Rainwater Collection bill that would allow for rainwater storage units. “A lot of water flows into the sea now – then they tell us there is no water, and that we have to pay the price,” Khenin said.

“I will continue to fight for the separation of sewage and drainage systems, and will continue to fight for rainwater storage systems – that will enable the collection of a greater portion of rainwater by inserting them into the ground and using them,” he added.

Water flows near Herzliya on Tuesday (Photo: Herzliya Municipality)

Flooding from the ongoing storm that has hit nearly all of Israel this week was so powerful that it shut down Tel Aviv main artery – the Ayalon Highway, or Highway 20 – as well as the city’s train stations on Tuesday morning. The Water Authority declared this the rainiest winter of the past decade.