On the Israeli side water research is mainly carried out by the Water Research Institute of Israel based at the oldest university of the country, the Technion. Uri Shamir, the head of the Institute, last year came to Vienna on the occasion of the International Austro-Israeli Technion Symposium (organised by the Austrian Technion Society in co-operation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the University for Agricultural Sciences Vienna). aqua press international seized the opportunity for an in-depth talk with the expert on water supply in the Middle East and on the efforts to improve it. Shamir’s comments are particularly interesting, since the expert is at the same time member of the government delegation for the peace talks with the Palestinians. In the past, Shamir was also involved in the talks on water distribution between Israel and Jordan.
Water distribution and future scenarios
According to Professor Shamir, Israel takes 25 to 30 percent of its drinking water from the Sea of Galilee, 60 percent from groundwater reserves and the rest from different sources. The groundwater reserves mainly consist of two aquifers – the Coastal Aquifer along the Mediterranean coast and the Mountain Aquifer below the mountains of Tiberia and Samaria – with the Palestinians being mainly supplied from the latter. "For some time already have we been using our total water resources and it is a matter of fact that the water reserves from the Sea of Galilee and the aquifers are not sufficient to overcome long dry periods," says the expert.
The situation is aggravated by increasing water consumption on the one hand and on the other by the fact that the water reserves are mainly located under densely populated areas and are thus exposed to impacts from industry, agriculture (fertilisers) and pisciculture. The Water Institute of Israel is commissioned to find solutions for this difficult situation.
High value set on an interdisciplinary approach
The Water Research Institute of the Technion University is not only unique within Israel because of its self-image. Since its foundation 76 years ago high value has been set on co-operation with other faculties, government authorities, and also with the industry. The Institute focuses on the following working domains:
- Water quality and water treatment
- Treatment of urban effluents for re-use
- Sea water desalination
- Management of water resources (main focus of Shamir’s work)
"Safeguarding the water quality both of the Lake and of the Jordan River is one our foremost aims. Water treatment, as we understand it, is to use appropriate high-technologies to eliminate pollutants and micro-organisms from water – without producing toxic ’spin-offs’ like precipitating disinfection by-products (e.g. after reaction with chlorine gas). In this field, Israel has increasingly been relying on membrane technology," explains Shamir.
In comparison to the total "water turnover" of the country the production of drinking water from salt water has only been of minor importance. Presently, there are about 40 facilities in operation, but their capacity, with the exception of the plant supplying the city of Eilat (in the Golf of Aqaba), is rather small. A large plant for Gaza is presently being built by Lyonnaise des Eaux. Austria is planning similar projects in the frame of development co-operation. "Israel’s Mediterranean coast, however, is very valuable for tourism, too," says Shamir. "For who wants to bathe in the immediate vicinity of a large sea water desalination plant? In addition, these plants would necessitate the construction of power plants, since solar energy is not widely used in our country for economic reasons."
Therefore, Israel has been increasingly focusing on the treatment of urban and industrial effluents that shall now be used for agriculture – which is the biggest water consumer of the country. The population could thus be supplied with more fresh water. Starting from the 30 percent that are already being treated today up to 65 percent of wastewater amounts could be recycled in the next 10 to 15 years! "In our country agriculture is not only a mere branch of the economy," knows Shamir. "It is, at the same time, a domain which strongly co-determines society, that still reflects the spirit of Zionism, that represents the independence of our country and therefore is strongly connected with politics."
Therefore, intensive persuasion work seems to be necessary, a task which will keep the Water Institute of the Technion University in connection with the Water Resource Management increasingly busy in the future. In addition, financial incentives should motivate the farmers to revise their opinion.
"Access to water is a human and social right"
A recent ORF documentary "Durstkrieg – Der Kampf ums Wasser" showed how urgently required all these water-supply-improving measures are, particularly in those regions where the Palestinians live. Thus, the political conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has additionally been fuelled by the severe water shortage during the past few years. Very impressive were those scenes showing the Jordan River: a rafting water in 1997, a small runnel today; or the Sea of Galilee, whose water level is sinking by one centimetre every day!
However, the idea that Israel is using drinking water as a political weapon cannot be totally dismissed. Thus, the Palestinian water engineer Ishaq Ali Horainab deplored the organization of water supply in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip controlled by the Israelis: ”150 of our villages and cities with a total population of 215,000 are still not connected to a water supply network, and if pipelines do exist, we only receive (statistically seen) 50 m3/h in summer instead of the necessary 250 m3/h. In addition, every well must be sanctioned by the Israeli authorities!” The water from the tank lorries is also emptying the already meagre purses of the population; in Yata, for example, one cubic metre costs the equivalent of EUR 5,81.
Achmed Yagubi of the Palestinian water authority has even more figures ready: "one Palestinian consumes 80 litres of water at an average. An Israeli, on the other hand, has 300 litre at his disposal (in Europe and the USA about 400 l/day)!"
Another fundamental problem is the Israeli settlement structure, which largely corresponds to the groundwater network of Palestine. The swimming pools of Jewish settlers, which they might have used in their old home country (e.g. in the USA) and which they do not want to waive in the Promised Land – with its precarious water situation –, must be an absolute provocation for the Palestinians.
Fair distribution, the revising of opinions with regard to use and much innovation will therefore be necessary to ease the water situation in Palestine and to achieve a permanent agreement between Jews and Arabs. For, as a UN speaker summarises in the ORF documentary: "Access to water is a human and social right!"
There is nothing to be added to that – may be just this: there are sensible people on both sides, who try to work out solutions which are in the interest of all in spite of the swashbuckling; Uri Shamir and his team of the Water Institute at the Technion University are undoubtedly among them. (Source: aqua press Int. 4-5/2001)
Mag. Christof Hahn
