Israel water shortage greater than previously thought

Retrieved from: Haaretz

“Investments of NIS 52 billion will be needed in the coming decade to develop water production and supply systems to deal with the shortfall of natural water sources, which considerably exceeds previous estimates, according to a master plan for water now being finalized.

“But the Water Authority itself is a major obstacle to the plan’s implementation, as it suffers from an acute personnel shortage and lack of power, including the inability to make decisions on desalination facilities.

“The master plan, drafted by a Water Authority task force with the help of environmental organizations, was submitted this week to the National Planning and Building Council.

“A dramatic change has taken place in the amount of natural water available in the aquifers and Lake Kinneret, due to dwindling precipitation, the task force said. And a recent study found that the water supply is even smaller because of processes such as a rise in the salinity of the groundwater, which has rendered 10 percent of it unfit for use.

“A further 15 percent decrease was caused by a deterioration in water quality, urbanization (which prevents rainwater from entering the groundwater ) and climate change.”

Read more: Haaretz