Israelis have maintained discipline in water use despite expanding water desalination operations in 2013, and there has been a slight rise in overall water consumption, Mekorot National Water Company reported today. An analysis of data reveals that household water consumption in 2013 rose 47.3 million cubic meters, up 2% from 2012. The Mekorot data also shows that cumulative industrial water consumption rose 400,000 cubic meters in 2013, up 0.5% from 2012. Mekorot reports an overall rise of 4.5% in water consumption last year.
Mekorot CEO Shimon Ben Hamo said, “This is a moderate increase in water cosumption, which reflects a situation in which the tendency to save is maintained, despite Israel’s entry into the era of desalination. It is quite possible that some of this is related to the rise in the water prices.”
Ben Hamo explained the rise in demand for water for agricultural use, due to the problematic rains last winter - a situation that forced farmers to water many agricultural crops: “We have seen this situation in the past two months as well, which have been characterized by a very problematic rain pattern. Despite the fact that we are in a dry-spell, in terms of rain, an improvement in our ability to provide water has led to the fact that, today, no one feels the shortage, and we know how to supply water to the Jordanians and Palestinians as well. We have a much better, and much more reliable, water system than we did in previous years,” he said.
The Water Authority said the rains over the weekend have raised the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) by 0.5cm, from direct precipitation. A weak flow was reported in the Saar, Hilazon, and Beit Haemek streams. The surface of the Kinneret is currently 211.15 cm below sea level.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 16, 2014
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014