The Knesset's Economics Committee began debating several amendments to the Water Law, meant to promote a reform in the water marker. The committee discussed the 2010 recommendations of the Bein Committee, headed by Justice (Ret.) Dan Bein, but environmental groups present at the meeting voiced harsh criticism against the report. Professor Yoram Avnimelech, who heads the Green Coalition, told the committee that "In the real world, any connection between the recommendations of the Bein Committee and reality is loose to nonexistent. The proposed amendments don't implement the recommendations – it dismisses their spirit." The environmental groups presented the committee with a position paper stressing the bill's "grave deviation" from the committee's recommendations, especially those proposing a public committee on wastewater and sewage, which the Water Authority has failed to form thus far. The groups underscored the Bein Committee's findings that "The water crisis stems from management failures, the prominent lack of long-term planning, the fact that the public is not part of the decision making process and the lack of transparency." The Green Coalition recommends that an extended public council is formed and that it be given independent jurisdiction so that it may "Guard the guards and afford ongoing public supervision on the water market's management policies." "With all due respect to the managers of the water market, the proposed public council lacks the necessary transparency to properly supervise the market and it doesn’t afford consulting with external experts," Prof. Avnimelech added. The Green Coalition urged the Economics Committee to implement the Bein Committee's recommendations to the letter, in order to ensure that the future council is balanced. Another demand was for the committee to add another public representative, as recommended by the Environmental Protection Ministry. The Green Coalition also demanded that several articles that were removed from the amendment, pertaining to nature conservation and the rehabilitation of water sources, as well as the ability to impose fines over water contamination. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter