“Mekorot promotes innovative water technologies.”
By ALAN ROSENBAUM JANUARY 17, 2021 17:49
“Mekorot is conducting discussions regarding collaborating on various projects with our colleagues in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates,” said Eli Cohen, CEO of Mekorot, Israel’s water company, in an interview with Yaakov Katz, editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post at the virtual UAE-Israel Business Summit, sponsored by the Jerusalem Post and the Khaleej Times, that took place earlier this week.“
Mekorot promotes innovative water technologies,” Cohen said, “which lead to an increase in the water supply and an optimal response of the water economy to the climate crisis.” He explained that “Mekorot manages all types of water in an integrated method through a single system and treats a variety of areas of the water economy simultaneously. Very few companies in the world can handle these different types of water under one roof. There is demand worldwide for this unique combination, including among the Gulf states, which must meet the growing water needs of the population on the one hand and the depletion of water resources on the other. In conversations with water professionals in the Gulf, we are learning a great deal, and conducting in-depth discussions on core issues, and creating a cross-pollination of ideas.”
Cohen also referred to the advanced solutions that Mekorot is producing to increase the water supply in Israel. “We are talking about implementing a logical, intelligent, and sustainable circular economy, creating a synergy between water uses in homes and returning them for the water needs of farmers. At the same time, for the first time in Israel’s history, we have changed the traditional direction of the flow of the historic national carrier, and today we are bringing desalinated water from the center of the country to the north in order to increase the water supply to the Galilee settlements, and soon to fill the Sea of Galilee. Another example is digging the world’s first water tunnel of its kind, a 12-kilometer underground channel bringing desalinated water to Jerusalem that will meet the city’s needs for the next 50 years. Additionally, in the Arava, we are expanding the desalination plant via a new marine intake system, which will increase desalination output for the water needs of Eilat and the region. Mekorot is everywhere and knows how to provide solutions with maximum efficiency and flexibility.”
Mekorot’s CEO noted, “The company is currently consolidating its operations and management into an entire ecosystem, alongside a business concept that is striving to realize the enormous potential that exists in investments in water resources, which is essential for the existence of life and the future of humanity. “The demand for Mekorot’s know-how and experience is increasing,” he stated with satisfaction. “We are the leaders in restoring water to agriculture, our water depreciation is among the lowest in the world and stands at less than 3%, our energy efficiency in the production and transportation of water is among the best in the world, we are considered leaders in cyber solutions, and we are at the forefront of the technological revolution in the water industry.” Cohen added in this context, “In recent years Mekorot has been expanding its technological capabilities, and is now developing a smart lab on a chip that can be installed on water taps in private homes. This system will be able to monitor, control, and test the water quality that passes through the faucets.”
“Water will not be a problem in our region,” Cohen concluded.