Water: Israel

Question 1

Key facts

Answer 1

The climate, natural geography and politics means that Israel must manage its limited water supplies efficiently.

60% of its land is desert

heavily affected by climate change: rainfall has fallen to half of its 1948 average

Strategies include:
smart irrigation
recycling water
importing virtual water
conservation techniques
'real value' prices

Question 2

The National Water Carrier

Answer 2

Developed to transfer water from the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel to the highly populated centre of the country and the dry south

Question 3

Smart irrigation

Answer 3

Drip systems allow water to drop slowly to plant’s roots through a system of valves and pipes

this reduces wastage and evaporation

the amount of water is carefully measured for a minimal volume of water for a maximum yield

sub-optimal water conditions may be used to not impact yield but massively reduce water consumption on a large scale

Question 4

Recycling water

Answer 4

Recycling sewage water accounts for 65% of water used in agricultural

Question 5

Virtual water

Answer 5

Virtual water is water transferred by trading in crops and services that require large amounts of water for their production

Question 6

conservation techniques

Answer 6

a

Question 7

‘real value’ prices

Answer 7

managing demand by ‘real value’ prices for water to reflect supply costs, which include ecosystem management

this removes any government subsidies

Question 8

Israel’s strategies to acquire new supplies

Answer 8

1. importing 50 million tonnes of water per year by ship from Turkey (know as the Manavgat Project, agreed in 2004)
2. piping sweater from the Red Sea and Mediterranean to new inland desalination plants