British engineering firm in talks with Israel’s national water company to team up on water projects in various parts of world
Reuters
Published: 10.28.13, 07:59 / Israel Business
Arup is in talks with Israel’s national water company Mekorot to partner on water projects in various parts of the world, a senior executive at the British engineering firm says.
“Mekorot is looking to work in different places, we are a global firm and we are keen to develop the relationship,” Mark Fletcher, director of the global water business at Arup, told Reuters on the sidelines of a water technology conference.
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Projects could include general water supply, desalination and water recycling. One of the countries where the two companies are looking to partner is Myanmar, where Arup already works independently.
Another initiative Arup is studying is a potential research and pilot testing center for water technologies that would include a water treatment works. One location under consideration is Poland.
“It would be for the best technologies in the world. I think Israeli technologies would be up there for most of it,” Fletcher said, citing desalination of seawater and drip irrigation as two areas in which Israeli technology excels.
Arup is in discussions with several governments but the technologies to be tested at the center have not yet been chosen.
Arup is also working with several Israeli start-ups to try and bring their technologies to Britain, with the support of UK Israel Tech Hub at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv.
These include Applied CleanTech, which has developed a sewage mining system that recycles useful fibers, as well as Mapal Green Energy, which is developing energy efficient technologies to manage wastewater.
One of Arup’s major clients, United Utilities, is exploring the feasibility of trying out some of these technologies in Britain, Fletcher said.
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