Israel’s Water Sector - Innovation, Challenges and Solutions

1. Lena Zeiger
OECD, 25 November 2016

2. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Global Issue

3. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
The Drinking Water Challenge
By 2050
66%
of the world’s
population will suffer
from shortage of
drinking water.
In urban areas
25%
of the water is being
lost due to leaks and
network delivery
problems.
As world population grows and climate changes,
some basic resources are becoming scarce.

4. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
WATER - A National Priority

5. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Water in ISRAEL – Fast Facts
Neighbours
150
(7%)
Domestic
700.0
(35%)
Industry
130.0
(6%)
Nature
50.0
(3%)
Agriculture -
Potable
450.0
(22%)
Agriculture – Non
Potable
550.0
(27%)
Agriculture
1000
(49%)
Water Demand Per Sectors
(2014, MCM/Year)
 Natural water refill: 1170 MCM (per year)
 Water consumption: 2030 MCM (per year)
 Annual Shortage
of over ~45%
 Forecast for
potable water
demand:
2050 ~ 2.45
billion
m3/annum
Source: Israeli Water Authority

6. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Solutions
Water supply
increase
Water demand
restraint
 Drilling (including water
sources monitoring);
 Treatment of underground
polluted water sources;
 Development of new water
sources:
o desalinated seawater,
o desalinated brackish
water
o treatment of
wastewater and reuse
 Nation-wide media campaign
“Israel is drying”
 Water allocation and
cutbacks for agricultural
sector and public gardening;
 Supervision & enforcement;
 Graded water tariffs;
 Regulation of Municipal
Sector (establishment of
municipal water companies)

7. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Reuse of All Sewage Effluents
Governmental support to nationwide sewage
infrastructures
Reuse of ≈ 450 MCM/Y
100% of the water is treated
86% of waste water reused in agriculture
Tertiary treatment – very high standards in
water quality
Innovation in agriculture - technologies for
water use efficiency

8. ‫בישראל‬ ‫מקורות‬ ‫חברת‬ ‫של‬
‫י‬ ‫ל‬ ‫ג‬ ‫ה‬
‫ל‬
7‫קוב‬ ‫מליון‬
‫רם‬ ‫ברכת‬
‫בניאס‬
‫מאגר‬
‫יוסיפון‬
‫גלעדי‬ ‫כפר‬
‫שמונה‬ ‫קרית‬
‫הגולן‬‫רמת‬
‫עינן‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫תחנת‬
‫עינן‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫דלתון‬ ‫מאגר‬
2.5‫קוב‬ ‫מיליון‬
‫ראש‬
‫פינה‬
‫צפת‬
‫נהריה‬
‫תחנת‬
‫ספיר‬
‫דמון‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫כורסי‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫קריות‬ ‫כרמיאל‬
‫שפרעם‬ ‫ברכות‬
‫צלמון‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫טבריה‬
‫גולני‬
‫נצרת‬
140+
‫אשכול‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫חיפה‬
‫עפולה‬
‫האון‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫מיצר‬
‫לירדן‬ ‫מים‬
‫בר‬'‫זרע‬ ‫בית‬
‫דגניה‬ ‫סכר‬
‫תחנת‬
‫דגניה‬
‫בר‬'‫ידעיה‬
‫תח‬'‫שמשית‬
‫תשלובת‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫הקישון‬12‫מלמ‬"‫ק‬
‫חדרה‬ ‫אורן‬
‫ברור‬ ‫כפר‬
‫הכרמל‬ ‫חוף‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫האחזיות‬
‫שומרון‬
‫קולחי‬
‫נתניה‬
‫ראש‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫העין‬
‫תחנת‬
‫נוה‬
‫ירק‬
‫חורון‬ ‫מחנה‬
‫תפוח‬ ‫צומת‬
‫שילה‬
‫אריאל‬
‫בק‬
‫עת‬
‫היר‬
‫דן‬
‫מעלה‬
‫אפרים‬
‫אביב‬ ‫תל‬
‫יפו‬
‫תחנת‬
‫ויסות‬
T.T.A
‫ראשל‬"‫צ‬
‫מפעל‬
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‫פ‬"‫ת‬
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‫בת‬
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‫תחנת‬
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‫מך‬
‫תח‬'
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‫תח‬'
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‫תח‬'‫עגור‬7
‫גת‬ ‫קרית‬
‫בית‬
‫לחם‬
‫קליה‬
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‫שלם‬
‫קרית‬
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‫מאגר‬
‫נהורה‬
‫ספיח‬ ‫בר‬
‫בר‬'
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(‫מליחים‬)
‫קד‬'‫למים‬
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‫מים‬ ‫התפלת‬
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‫לאילת‬
‫גרופית‬
‫קטורה‬
‫מנשה‬ ‫נחלי‬ ‫מפעל‬
‫מי‬ ‫לתפיסת‬
‫שטפונות‬
‫למי‬ ‫והחדרתם‬
‫תהום‬
‫תח‬'‫אלמוג‬
‫בר‬'‫ותח‬'
‫גרנות‬
‫אורה‬ ‫באר‬
‫המים‬ ‫מערכת‬
‫הארצית‬
‫המים‬ ‫מפעלי‬ ‫מפת‬
‫מקרא‬
‫הארצי‬ ‫המוביל‬
‫מים‬ ‫קו‬
‫לשתיה‬‫להשקייה‬ ‫מים‬-
‫קולחין‬‫מליחים‬ ‫מים‬
‫ישובים‬
‫שפירים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫שפירים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫בריכות‬
‫מים‬ ‫שאיבה‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫שפירים‬‫מושבים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫תחנת‬
‫מושבים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫מאגר‬
‫מושבים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫בריכות‬
‫התפלה‬ ‫מתקן‬
‫מליחים‬ ‫מים‬ ‫קדוחי‬
‫אילת‬
‫נתניה‬
‫בר‬'
‫שיזפון‬
‫יהל‬
‫בר‬'‫ותח‬'
‫שיטה‬
‫זמר‬ ‫מפעל‬
‫תח‬'
‫מאגר‬
‫נשר‬
Wastewater Treatment Plant (Shafdan) and
the Pipeline to Negev
Sewage from the Greater Tel Aviv area – 125 MCM/Y (2010)
Large-scale WWTP – secondary treatment quality
Six infiltration fields
Over 150 production and monitoring wells (quality permitted for “occasional
drinking”)
90km pipeline to Negev
32 pumping stations, operational storages (0.51MCM) and seasonal
storages (17.2 MCM)
National
Water
Grid
Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration

9. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
The Israeli Water Sector
5 Elements:
1. Clear Legal Framework
2. Integrated Water Management
3. Water Saving Society
4. Water Economy
5. Technology

10. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
The Israeli Water Sector
5 Elements:
1. Clear Legal Framework
2. Integrated Water Management
3. Water Saving Society
4. Water Economy
5. Technology

11. Legal and Institutional Framework
The Water Law 1959 – Legal Basis
 Water is owned by the public and managed by the Government
 Administrative control over all aspects of water use
(Consumption, Allocations, Productions, Pollution, Pricing…).
National Water
Authority
Municipal Water Authorities
Mekorot
National Water
Carrier
Water supply
Regulation
Pricing
Supervision
Ministry of
Environmental Protection
Pollution
Prevention
Ministry of Health
Water Quality
(Potable &
Reclaimed)
Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration

12. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Water Governance
Regulation:
• WATER AUTHORITY BOARD - One decision-
making regulatory body
• Professional (not political) level
• Integrative approach
Finance:
• Cost recovery for
suppliers
• Fairness and
uniformity for
consumers
Service Standards:
• Investments in
infrastructure
• High quality standards
for end users

13. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
The Reform in Water Tariffs
The water tariffs were raised by approximately 40%.
• The principle of covering all costs
providing resources for infrastructures needed for
water supply and encourages water conservation.
• The principle of fairness or uniformity
As a rule, all users of water in a given sector pay the
same price, regardless of their location.

14. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Water Technologies
280innovative companies
Water management
Water desalination
Irrigation
Urban water solutions
Sector highlights
• Israeli systems account for 50% of the world's
low-pressure irrigation systems, reducing
agricultural water consumption by 30%.
• Israeli companies have installed more than
350 desalination plants in nearly 40 countries.
• Among world’s lowest-cost producers of
desalinated water: ~ $0.55/m3 vs $1.00/m3
world average.
• 86% of Israel’s wastewater is reclaimed for
agriculture – the highest percentage in the
world.
Source: Israel Export Institute, The Israel Water Authority

15. Ministry of Economy & Industry | Foreign Trade Administration
Lena Zeiger
Counsellor (Trade, Investment, Innovation, Labor)
Permanent Mission of Israel to the OECD
Lena.Zeiger@israeltrade.gov.il