Israel Decides Desalination is the Way Forward

After a great deal of discussion, debate and heated dialogues, Israel has decided that the best way that the country can meet its current water demands is to invest in large-scale desalination plants, reports Matthew Barker, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan, the international marketing consulting company. In late April 2000, Israel's Ministerial Committee for economic affairs approved recommendations for the construction of the country's first major seawater desalination plant. Initial estimates and plans for the plant are that it will provide around 140,000 m3 per day of potable water, and construction will cost around $150 million. The plant is to be built by a private contractor under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract. The government will accordingly agree to purchase a quantity of the water produced at an established price over a predetermined period. A tender for the project is expected to be issued in late 2000, and full commissioning is hoped to occur around 2004. The plant will be located on the southern shores of Ashkelon and bids are expected to be around $0.70 per cubic meter including investment recovery. This move towards self-sufficiency regarding water resources was backed up in mid-may as the Israeli Ministerial Economics Committee announced that it was planning to allocate around $700 million for the purification and desalination of water. Investment will be sourced into water purification and desalination, wastewater purification for agricultural practices and the cleaning of wells that have become salinated or polluted. Over the last winter, there have been lower than average rainfall across the Near East and North Africa, causing drought conditions and crop failures in many areas. Although not one of the worst hit regions, Israel is also suffering from over use of water and a lack of water replenishment. Mekerot, Israel's national water company, recently announced that by winter 2001, Israel would have no water reserves. These reserves are being replenished at a slower rate than they are being abstracted and according to figures released by the company, fixed water consumption in 1999 was 800 million m3, as opposed to a replenishment of 700 million m3. The question is how to restock the national water reserves? One solution that has been discussed at length is the transportation of water from water-rich Turkey on a contractual basis either by ship or pipeline. This idea has received widespread criticism for it being merely a stopgap solution that will solve the immediate problem but will not provide a serious solution to future water crises. Who can predict what Turkey's water situation may be like in 5 years time? If water imports stop, the situation could be disastrous for the region. So, the best solution seems to be the conversion of salt water into potable water for municipal and industrial use. The Israeli water commissioner, Meir Ben-Meir, has long been an advocate of the installation of desalination plants in the region and the long term benefits that this type of plant will provide. Ben-Meir is also keen to point out that this market will contract out plants on a BOT basis, although he is also adamant that when the tender is made this summer that the majority of bids are made from private companies rather than from government entities such as state-owned water company Mekorot or electricity monopoly Israel Electric Corporation, as he believes that government involvement will jeopardize private sector participation. Matthew Barker continues: "It is also quite a contentious issue in that water scarcity in the region could be a future spark for war between Israel and its neighbors. If Israel ensured that it was producing enough water to support its own population it could no longer be accused of stealing water from its neighbors. With the area around the inland Sea of Galilee being at the center of debate in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the common co-operation between states in the region concerning water resources could ensure that there is a future peace between its peoples." Of all the different proposals put forward to supply Israel's water shortfall, large scale desalination projects, although not providing an immediate solution, would be able to provide a supply of water for its 20 to 30 years lifetime from a limitless source. With falling prices and technological improvements in desalination plants, this solution to an ever-present problem could prove vital to preserving both peace and life in the Middle East.