For many years, the Herzliya municipality spilled great quantities of sewage from its sewage treatment facility into what is called "the great hole", an informal and unauthorized site for sewage spillage. The large concentrations of sewage contaminated the land and the aquifer below, and there is a serious threat that the city's drinking water is also contaminated. 

Two years ago the Herzliya Municipality paid a fine of 200,000 NIS for this pollution and committed to clean the site. Today, it is clear that the municipality did not stand by its commitment to the public and the Ministry of Environment. The pollution in the site still remains and continues to contaminate the aquifer, which threatens to contaminate the city's drinking water.

According to the tests of the Ministry of Environment, the aquifer below the "great hole" was found to be contaminated with Arsenic, a poisonous metallic element that is know to cause cancer. Arsenic was found in quantities 600% higher than the standard.

The Herzliya Municipality continues to bury its head in the sand instead of warning the public and working towards cleaning its pollution. The Municipality announced that there is no problem with the water of the aquifer.

According to Sagit Rogenstein, campaign coordinator in central Israel: "The Herzliya residents are sick and tired of the way in which the municipality is carrying on. The neglect that the municipality is demonstrating is the number one health hazard to the city's residents. Instead of being upfront with the public and proactive about cleaning its pollution, the municipality pollutes the sea and other water sources."