Microbiologic drinking water quality in Israel: standards, monitoring, and treatment.

Drinking water quality depends on standards, monitoring and treatment. Israel's microbiologic water standards are less stringent than those currently recommended internationally, and have focused primarily on bacteriologic levels. Compliance with routine monitoring requirements averaged 86% in 1985-86. However, compliance with retesting of contaminated samples averaged 49% in 1985-86. Compliance with treatment recommendations of district sanitary engineers has also been poor. Poor water quality continues to be a public health problem in Israel, and has contributed to a relatively high incidence of waterborne disease. Current international guidelines recommend filtration and chlorination, particularly for surface water and other contaminated sources. Israel should make this a major public health priority.