Mekorot CEO Amit Lang spoke at length about the challenges facing the Israeli water sector during the war, and the continuing efforts to connect the entire country to the national water carrier at the Infrastructure, Energy, and Transportation Conference of the Jerusalem Post Group, Maariv and Walla, in cooperation with Bank Leumi.
"We don't talk about it much, but every day there is a new challenge," Lang said. "Facilities and areas are damaged, and there are malfunctions that we have to overcome. Fortunately, the company is experienced and knows how to deal with these situations, so there is almost no damage to the water supply, even during the war."
Lang spoke of the need to finish connecting the entire country to the national carrier. "The national carrier has grown over the years due to development in Mekorot. The challenge is to connect all areas that are not connected and rely on local water sources, such as drilling, which is less reliable and can be affected by external supply damages. I estimate that within a few short years, all the areas in Israel will be connected to the national carrier, including the Golan Heights, the Arava, and the Beit She'an Valley."
Lang also referred to the company's economic activity, stating, "We are a state-owned company. We also engage in accelerated development by raising long-term bonds. The repayment comes from the same systems we are developing and the tariff of water use. "There is a natural concern, and we'll see how things develop," he says, referring to the downgrade of the country's credit rating, "but I believe that if all government bonds become more expensive, we will also have to pay more, but the rating that reflects the company's financial strength is not expected to change."
Lang also referred to the company's work outside the country's borders. "We are already exporting our know-how abroad. We are working with several countries around the world in consulting and planning very important projects, such as the first desalination plant in Azerbaijan. We have done master farming plans for agriculture and changing water systems in Argentina and other places in South America. We have operated projects in India and Bahrain and even had initial contacts with Morocco. There is a great deal of demand, and the world understands that water is a significant need, especially in light of the climate crisis. We receive many inquiries and are acting on this level."
Referring to the rehabilitation of the south, Mekorot said that Mekorot is a full partner with the agricultural sector in Israel. "We are currently working on expanding the Shefdan (recycled water) lines to the area surrounding the Gaza Strip. We expect the amount of water for agriculture in the Negev to increase twofold. In the Jordan Valley, and in places in the north where there is demand, we are working to develop the system to satisfy consumption.
"Mekorot invests a great deal in its emergency preparedness," Lang said in conclusion, "because it's not just about a war situation. Strong winter storms and days of extreme days also pose a challenge to systems, and society has to deal with various events regardless of the war situation. It added to our understanding that we need another layer of defense, and we are working on that. We have already increased the ability to do chlorination in strategic locations, and we have ensured that there will be additional backup for the electrical system and various other deployments."