The Sea of Galilee is not only a holy place; it is also Israel’s main above ground water resource. Unfortunately, the many years of drought in Israel have left their mark on the lake and you can now see many islands that up until now were submerged. In fact, in June this year, Israel recorded the lowest water levels for the lake since we started recording 100 years ago.
This depletion of the main water resource of Israel was supposed to be no less than a disaster for the country and its water supply. Shockingly this isn’t so, quite the opposite - Israel has recently declared a water surplus.
How can you explain the fact that a country that sees only 500mm of rain water annually – a similar rainfall to that of South Africa, when the world average is 860mm - announces that it has a surplus of water even though it’s resources are empty?
The answer is that Israel, that from the start had a declared national water emergency, has invested all of its efforts in the last century into finding a solution to the water problem. In this article I will try to portray Israel's expertise in all fields relating to water. Each field is important on its own, but our success in all fields have turned Israel into a water management super-power and has brought us to announce that we have a surplus of water.
Israel’s success emerges from our ability to incorporate technological solutions together with full cooperation between all of the stake holders: the government, local municipalities, farmers, academics, private companies and all citizens of the country. All these brought to a situation where if you’re flying over the middle-east you’d see desert until you’re above the Israeli oasis.
Today, only 25% of Israel’s water usage is from natural water resources. Natural water sources like the Sea of Galilee and aquafers have been replaced by man-made water: 26% desalinated water, 23% purified waters, and 14% salt water sources (where salt water content is lower than that of sea water but still undrinkable). The Israeli capability to reach a stage where 70% of our water is artificial is incredible.
In other fields, Israel is breaking records in water recycling which is no less incredible either. More than 90% of our waste water is recycled. In comparison, Spain is in 2nd place behind Israel recycling only 20%, while the USA recycles about 5%.
Although Israel has solved its water woes, the rest of the world’s water situation continues to deteriorate. The UN estimates that 2/3 of the world’s population will soon face drought. This fact can cause food prices to rise, many areas to face starvation, and, might create conflict surrounding control of water resources. This water depletion is a result of over-usage, waste, poor water management, over-exacerbating aquafer waters, pollution and climate change. Climate change alone will push 1.8bn people to a life of thirst until 2080. This is why the UN General Assembly recently declared the next decade will be dedicated to the world water crises.
These dramatic dangers are the reason why Israel is interested in sharing its vast knowledge of water management with the world. Unfortunately, somehow, even in a thirsty world, there will be those preferring to peddle their political agenda. That’s why I assume that opposing responses may be evoked using hollow terms and slander like ‘occupation’ and ‘water apartheid’, from those that would not like to be confused with facts.
So what are the facts?
The facts are that Israel has taken on the sea and its citizens are drinking its waters. Israel’s farming industry has long been based on recycled sewage water so as not to exhaust fresh water sources. Our cities ‘lose’ the least amount of water in the world - our leaks and loss of water total 5%-8% in each city (for e.g. the SA cities average is close to 40%). Israeli technology is in every place in the world, including countries that we do not have relationships with - like the Gaza Strip who are busy firing rockets at us. This is done through cooperation with UN bodies that buy Israeli products and gift them to these regions. Israeli NGOs are connecting hundreds of villages in Africa to water using solar electricity. And – did you know - Israeli companies are already developing what seems like an imaginary development of generating water from thin air. Imagine the meaning of one of these machines on every house in Africa.
When your technological abilities are on the border of imagination and almost all of your water supply is artificial, anyone who claims that we are ‘stealing water in the dead of night from the wells of our neighbors’ or whatever feeble they are toting, cannot be taken seriously. On the contrary, Israel in the field of water-aid has good cooperation with its neighbors and hopes that this will lead to further dialogue in more fields. So let’s raise a glass of water to the hope that this cooperation in this life-saving issue will bring flourishing and peaceful relationships in the Middle East.
Follow me on twitter: @LiorKeinan
Facebook: Ambassador Lior Keinan