Desalination provides Israel with some 70% of its drinking water, with the Kinneret providing an ever smaller amount of potable water.
“One is to return desalinated water to the Kinneret.
Now we’re bringing desalinated water to the Kinneret because when we desalinate water in the winter it’s wasted, there’s no use for it.
The quantity of water flowing to the lake is now being surpassed by the amount being pumped from the lake and the amount being lost to evaporation.
If the Kinneret shrinks past that line, increased acidity could cause ecological problems, making it problematic to pump water out.
In response, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz – whose portfolio includes water management – announced on Sunday the construction of two desalination plants, one in Sorek and another in the western Galilee.
The amount of desalinated water is expected to double by 2030, according to a statement by the Energy Ministry – with a goal of pumping 1.1 billion cubic meters of desalinated water annually.
Five currently-operating plants in Israel already desalinate some 585 million cubic meters each year.
And with growing demand, that hardly puts a dent into the problem today.
“The plan… will provide long-term and short-term solutions, which include: increasing water desalination; rehabilitating streams in the north of the country; promoting a plan to connect the disconnected areas from the national system; removing bureaucratic obstacles to accelerate the construction of water infrastructure; and implementing actions to reduce the volume of water consumption.” Tags: Kinneret technology drought