"Water is the oil of the 21st century"

Israel can take advantage of the expected global water shortage to accelerate the development of the water technology industry and become a dominant factor in the world market, say experts ahead of a conference that will deal with the issue

As part of the Israel Water Crisis Conference that took place at the beginning of June at the "Cleantech 2008" exhibition, the 12th International Conference and Exhibition for Infrastructure, Environmental Quality and Water Technologies, Haim Ferandas, Deputy Commissioner of the Budget Division, said that there will be no escape from imposing a drought levy on the public in Israel as a result of the water crisis .

The remarks were made as part of a discussion on the management of the water sector in Israel and the price of water for private and agricultural consumers. Yosta Blair, Secretary General of the Israel Farmers Association, said at the conference that the farming public is part of the State of Israel and they will make an effort to save water as part of the national effort.

In light of the existence of a serious water crisis in Israel, Buki Oren, former chairman of Mekorot, said that the red lines were crossed a long time ago and we are on the way to the black lines. According to him, no one knows where the black lines are and what exactly will be the result of crossing these lines. He added that a real crisis does not have to be paralyzing, but must be an engine of growth.

Following the lack of rainfall last winter and a sharp increase in domestic water consumption, Israel is facing the most acute water crisis that has hit it in the last decade. At the end of the summer, the levels in the main water sources are expected to drop below the red lines, and this will pose a threat to the water quality. The water authority will be forced to take saving measures to increase the supply.

According to a forecast prepared in recent days by the hydrological service at the Water Authority, at the end of summer the levels are expected to drop below the red lines in the Sea of ​​Galilee, in the Western Mountain aquifer and in the coastal aquifer. Such a decrease means causing irreversible damage to the water quality in the reservoirs, especially salinity. The authority may contact the government with a request to prohibit, in summer and autumn, the watering of public and private gardens with benign water.

As I recall, officials including former water commissioners offered to provide dedicated government aid to start-up companies that would develop technologies in the water field.

It is fitting that Israel, which claims to be a leading player in the world's water industry, should have the water sector as an example and a model, we must be a "light to the Gentiles". The purpose of the conference "The Water Crisis in Israel - A Lever for Growth" is to cause dramatic measures to be taken, combining savings measures and actions to increase the water supply. Israel's success in regulating the water sector is a lever for growth for the water industry, which currently exports about a billion dollars a year. The market potential in the world is 400 billion dollars a year.

"Water is the oil of the 21st century," said Andrew Liberis, chairman of Dow Chemical at the most important economic forum in the world, which was held in Davos, Switzerland recently. In a conference attended by the "lords of the world", presidents, prime ministers, bankers, and billionaires, it was expressed There is great concern for the growing shortage of water, due to urbanization and global industrialization, which increase the demand and consumption of water.

The increased demand for agricultural produce also naturally increases the demand for water, and if we add to this the climate changes and the pollution of many water sources in the world, which reduce the supply of water, we will understand that there is a very serious problem here.

According to the experts, Israel can take advantage of the expected global water shortage to accelerate the development of the water technology industry, with the intention of making Israel a dominant factor in the global water market. Today, the global water market is worth about 400 billion dollars a year.

Experts estimate that the water industry and its branches (irrigation, circulation, desalination, etc.) will grow by hundreds of percent in the coming years, due to the global water shortage. The export of the water industry from Israel today stands at 870 million dollars a year.

Sewage treatment

Another topic raised at the "Cleantech 2008" conference and exhibition will be the topic of sewage treatment. In recent years, there has been an accelerated development in the field of sewage infrastructure in the economy. The State of Israel invests approximately 500 million NIS per year in the establishment of new sewage infrastructures and in the rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing sewage infrastructures.

The management of the exhibition sees great importance in the treatment of wastewater, which will enable the expansion of the supply of effluents for various uses, among them: reclamation of effluents for agriculture, urban gardening, industry and electricity production. The purification of wastewater and its full utilization leads to the cessation of nuisances while maintaining the health of the public and the environment, as well as to the creation of purified wastewater, which is an essential resource for the water system, for the needs of gardening and agriculture. Regulating the sewage sector is an important pillar in sustainable development, for a cleaner environment.

in the field of infrastructure

Natural gas - The State of Israel has entered into the process of establishing a natural gas transmission system, which will supply natural gas to power plants of an electricity company, to private power producers that will be restored, and to industrial plants throughout the country.

renewable energy

The sharp increases in oil prices and the growing problem of air pollution are causing a search for alternatives to energy production and increasing their use, by means that will reduce dependence on the consumption of expensive and polluting fuels. The State of Israel must align with the rest of the developed countries in the world and deal with these problems through the use of renewable energies.

The green construction

In recent years, awareness of "green construction" has increased with the aim of providing a healthier quality of life and environment, while reducing the overall environmental impact of the construction process and the use of the building. In green construction, the thinking is for the long term, early planning of the environmental aspects of the project will result in a higher quality final product, more convenient to use, will take into account the natural resources and the surrounding and sometimes economical in the direct costs of operating the building.

Air pollution

The damage to air quality is the property of the developed countries in the world, factors unique to Israel such as population density, a constant increase in the standard of living and meteorological conditions make the problem even worse. The State of Israel is lagging far behind in addressing the problem that causes morbidity and suffering among the country's citizens.

Recycling

Modern life means that the amounts of garbage produced today are increasing, the "Cleantech 2008" exhibition dealt with the assimilation of recycling technologies and raising awareness of recycling among the heads of authorities, factories and the general public.