The Government Approves Decision Proposal by National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer to Increase Desalinated Water Supply

Main Points:  increasing desalination capacity to 505 million cubic meters through additional desalination facilities in a quantity of 200 million cubic meters and expanding existing facilities in Ashkelon, Hadera, and Palmahim by 75 million cubic meters in all.  The prime minister requested that construction of additional facilities be examined.

This morning (Sunday) the government approved a proposal by National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer to increase the supply of desalinated water to 505 million cubic meters through additional desalination facilities in a quantity of 200 million cubic meters and an expansion of existing facilities in Ashkelon, Hadera, and Palmahim by 75 million cubic meters in all.

Since 2001, the Israeli government has made a number of decisions regarding an increase in the necessary water supply through desalination. In 2002, the government set a target of 400 million cubic meters of desalinated water a year. In 2006, the government lowered the target and created conditions and limitations such that until the date of the approval of the decision proposed by Minister Ben-Eliezer, the quantity of sea water slated for desalination was actually 230 million cubic meters a year, whether through active desalination facilities or through facilities under construction.

With the appointment of Prof. Uri Shani as director of the Water Authority, National Infrastructures Minister Ben-Eliezer instructed him to carefully examine the supply and demand forecasts of the water economy in the coming decade, in order to prevent a shortage of water for all purposes.

Last May, the government approved the National Infrastructures Minister's proposal to cancel limitations and conditions regarding the construction of desalination facilities and the scope of sea water desalination, whereas this morning (Sunday), a decision proposal put forth by Minister Ben-Eliezer was approved, which recommends, further to the May decision, adopting the plan decided on by the Water Authority Council on June 21, 2007 with respect to the immediate and urgent need to increase water supply through sea water desalination, and setting the total quantity of desalinated sea water at 505 million cubic meters a year, no later than 2013.

According to the decision of the Water Authority Council, the full cost of the desalination work will be manifested in water prices, subject to the arrangement approved in government decision number 884 dated December 17, 2006. 

As stated, Minister Ben-Eliezer's proposal has been accepted; in addition, the prime minister requested that the construction of additional facilities be considered.

Below are the main points of National Infrastructures Minister Ben-Eliezer's statement at the government meeting:

"Honorable members of the government. A month and a half ago I demonstrated to you, along with the director of the Water Authority, Prof. Uri Shani, the State of Israel's immediate need to increase the supply of Desalinated Water . The whole world has realized that preparations should be made for a water shortage, caused by, among other things, changes in the earth's climactic conditions on one hand, and increased consumption on the other hand. Unfortunately, the State of Israel is no different, which is why we too must prepare accordingly even now, and the decision proposal is therefore presented before you. The government charged me and the Water Authority with the task of presenting it with a plan for handling the problem.

You will recall that since 2001, the government has made a number of decisions on the issue of an increase in the necessary water supply through sea water desalination. The government decision from 2002 set a target of 400 million cubic meters of water a year. Last September, the government lowered the target, and the actual quantity of desalinated water planned is today only 230 million cubic meters a year. Today I ask you to approve and increase the supply of desalinated water to 505 million cubic meters of desalinated water a year by 2013.

But desalination alone is not enough: The Water Authority Council's decision also includes, as you will see, an increase in the reclamation of sewage, treatment of waste water, collecting rainwater and flood water as well as an upgrade and construction of additional sewage purification centers.

I will now ask Prof. Shani to present you with the plan decided on by the Water Authority Council on which the government decision before you is based.

I am certain that after Prof. Shani's presentation on the subject, you will support the decision proposal out of a sense of national responsibility

for the Israeli water economy in the years ahead."