Israel is rejecting charges that part of the Jordan River is polluted and unsafe for baptisms.

Each year, nearly 100,000 Christians visit the baptism site known as Qasr el-Yahud.

But now, the environmental group, Friends of the Earth-Middle East, claims the site where Jesus is said to have baptized John the Baptist has been polluted by sewage from Israel, the West Bank and Jordan.

On Tuesday, the Israeli government said the pollution levels are less than a tenth of the accepted standard, meaning the river is perfectly safe.

Meanwhile, Israel is building sewage treatment plants to end the flow of Israeli waste into the river. They're expected to be ready by next year.