New Emergency Drilling is Planned for Total Production of 73 Million Cubic Meters

The Director of the Water Authority and the heads of “Mekorot” Company gave update, within the regular status meetings held by the Minister of Infrastructures, regarding emergency projects in Israel’s Water Economy. Four groups purchased the tender documents for the “Mekorot” desalination facility in Ashdod.

The Minister of National Infrastructures, Binyamin (Fuad) Ben Eliezer, held last week a status meeting regarding the progress of water projects. The meeting was attended by the Director General of the Ministry of National Infrastructures Hezi Kugler and the Director of the Water Authority Prof. Uri Shani. Part of the meeting was also attended by the Chairman of “Mekorot” Company Eli Ronen and the Company’s Director General Ido Rozolio.

According to Prof. Shani’s update, the Water Authority works, in the framework of the emergency program, to increase the scale of desalination up to a total of 200 million cubic meters, out of which at least 100 million cubic meters will be achieved within the coming two years.  

”Approximately 25 million cubic meters will be achieved through extension of activity hours in the existing desalination facilities in Ashkelon and Palmachim, and about 100 million cubic meters will be achieved by means of transportable water devices which will be situated in several sites that were examined for that purpose, such as Ashkelon, Hadera, Palmachim, Ma’agan Michael and Ashdod”. The Director of the Water Authority presented the Authority’s plan for setting up these transportable desalination devices.

Other updates from the meeting are as follows:

• The timetable for the completion of the desalination facility in Sorek did not change and is still aimed at 2012.
• The tender for the “Mekorot” desalination facility in Ashdod was published on the beginning of February and up till now 4 groups have purchased the tender’s documents. According to its timetables, the completion of the projects is expected towards the end of 2011.
• The 5^th water line to Jerusalem progresses according to its timetables.
• The connection of the desalination facility in Hadera to the conduit system will be completed towards June 2009.

Prof. Shani also updated that “we expect to complete the main work on supportive infrastructure for water conduct until 2012, under an estimated scope of 3.5 Billion Shekels”.

The Director General of “Mekorot” updated about new “emergency” water drilling which are scheduled in a total scope of about 73 million cubic meters for the coming three years. The Minister’s approval is required by law in order to accelerate the statutory process and the matter is currently examined by legal experts.