Is Israel's scarcity of water a blessing in disguise?

AuthorALAN ROSENBAUM
Date07 January 2021
Published date07 January 2021
Clarifying this unusual remark, Berger explains that the country's shortage of natural water resources requires it to manage its supply carefully. "If you don't have water, you have to manage with your lack of water resources."

Numerous areas throughout the world that have abundant natural water sources, says Berger, have experienced acute water shortages, such as Latin America and parts of the United States, including California. Yet Israel, which has limited water resources, provides water to its nine million residents with little difficulty.

Water shortages in many areas of the world, he explains, are due to poor management of resources. And while some see technology as the salvation for water shortages, Berger demurs, saying, "The main water problem in the world is management – not technology."

Israel is a small country on the edge of the desert with scant amounts of water, yet today it is considered a water superpower.

By implementing integrative engineering and technological solutions to maximize the country's water supply, Mekorot has managed to maintain the stability of Israel's water sector even during prolonged and extreme droughts.

According to Global Water Intelligence, the leading publisher serving the international water industry, Israel's water economy is ranked fourth in the world. Moreover, says GWI, Israel is rated "the best in the world in water efficiency," thanks to annual water depreciation of less than 3%, along with excellence in infrastructure, research, professional knowledge and water resources.

Israel also stands out in its management of water security, including protection from cyber threats, water safety, water resource security, and its supply processes.

Today, Mekorot supplies more than 1.6 billion cubic meters of water to homes, agricultural fields, and industrial plants every year. Approximately eight million consumers use the water that the company supplies to municipal authorities, local authorities, rural localities, the private sector, and the Palestinian Authority and the Kingdom of Jordan, under government agreements.

Berger, who has held several positions at Mekorot since 1996, explains that Israel's water management rests on four main concepts – ownership of resources, measurement, centralized control, and self-financing.

Unlike in the United States, for example, where individuals can own water rights for water located on their property, in Israel, water– no matter where it is found – belongs to the public and is...

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