Israel’s water sector is now considered one of the most advanced and efficient in the world, but behind that success lies years of strategic work. Danny Sofer, acting CEO of Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, presented the company’s vision for the coming years at Channel 14’s Energy and Infrastructure Conference—a plan designed to tackle growing water scarcity driven by global warming and declining rainfall.
Since its founding in 1937, Mekorot’s mission has remained the same: supplying water to every corner of the country. But the methods have changed completely. The company, which has become a “water high-tech company,” now operates a complex system that includes deep groundwater drilling, seawater desalination, and wastewater reclamation for agriculture. One of the most impressive figures presented: Mekorot’s water loss rate stands at less than 3%—a number considered world-leading.
The 2075 Plan: Doubling the National Water Carrier
To meet future demand, Mekorot is advancing detailed master plans through 2075. “We need an additional 30-40 million cubic meters of desalinated water every year,” Sofer explained. The central project on the table is doubling the National Water Carrier—laying a massive new pipeline alongside the existing one that can absorb the enormous water volumes from new facilities and transport them across the country.
Special emphasis is being placed on connecting the periphery, which until now has relied mainly on local wells that are gradually drying up. The goal is to create a single, unified, robust national water system that will connect the entire country “from Dan to Eilat” and guarantee water security for households, industry, and agriculture.
A Model for the World
Israel’s success hasn’t stayed within the country’s borders. Mekorot now operates internationally, providing consulting and planning for countries like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and nations in South America. These countries, which are “a generation behind” Israel in water management, are seeking to adopt the Israeli model for water conservation, quality protection, and smart infrastructure management.
One of Mekorot’s unique advantages is its economic model, which is based on water tariffs rather than the state budget. This allows the company to maintain fiscal stability and continue developing critical infrastructure even during wartime or political instability—ensuring that Israel will remain a water power for decades to come.