Israel: Cabinet Approves Emergency Plan to Increase the Production of Desalinated Water
The Cabinet approved last 31 January 2011 an emergency plan to increase the production of desalinated water in Israel by operating desalination facilities around the clock. This is in order to deal with the crisis in the water economy and ensure the orderly supply of water to residents of Israel, while maintaining existing sources of water. Increasing the quantity of desalinated water will lead to the production of approximately 420 million cubic meters in 2013, a larger quantity than that drawn annually from the Sea of Galilee.
The decision, which was led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was made in light of the continual decline in the supply of natural water in Israel, which stems from both the considerable drop in the amount of precipitation and the utilization of water that has accumulated in reservoirs.
It was decided that the Water Authority will work to reduce the effects of pollution and to rehabilitate the sources of water in Israel. It was also decided to advance a plan to establish reservoirs of treated wastewater for use by a number of agricultural communities.
Prime Minister Netanyahu directed that a proposal to build an additional desalination facility in Ashdod, as well as additional steps to deal with the crisis in the water economy, be submitted for Cabinet approval in the coming weeks: "Our mission is to deal with the crisis in the water economy and ensure the orderly supply of water to all Israelis. Saving the water economy is critically important and, therefore, we will advance the issue with all due seriousness so that the public may enjoy desalinated water forthwith."
Contact information | n/a |
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News type | Inbrief |
File link |
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Communication/Spokesman/2011/01/spokewater300111.htm |
Source of information | Israeli Prime Minister's Office |
Keyword(s) | treated wastewater for use, desalination, water economy |
Subject(s) | ANALYSIS AND TESTS , CHARACTERISTICAL PARAMETERS OF WATERS AND SLUDGES , DRINKING WATER , DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION : COMMON PROCESSES OF PURIFICATION AND TREATMENT , ENERGY , FINANCE-ECONOMY , INFRASTRUCTURES , POLICY-WATER POLICY AND WATER MANAGEMENT , RISKS AND CLIMATOLOGY , SANITATION -STRICT PURIFICATION PROCESSES , SLUDGES |
Relation | http://www.emwis.org/countries/fol749974/country725681 |
Geographical coverage | Israel, |
News date | 01/02/2011 |
Working language(s) | ENGLISH |