From Zion shall water technology come forth! Israel is spreading its crucial water technology around the globe, making the world a more inhabitable place.  

Water sources and water accessibility are emerging as one of the most pressing issues humanity will be facing in the near future. With global warming and drastic climate change, water sources are becoming scarcer and nations around the world are encountering mounting water-related difficulties.

Israel is world-famous for its advanced water technologies, which can provide solutions to even the driest and most barren areas on earth. With many years of experience in making its southern desert, the Negev, bloom, Israel has become a leading force in providing aqua know-how to countries around the planet.

Although Israel experiences drought, it is managing an over-capacity of water due to intense water management and desalination production. Other countries are turning to Israel to save them as well.

China

Minister of Economy Naftali Bennett is on a week-long trip to China to discuss the development of various collaborations between China and Israel. One of the issues is water technologies.

Bennett and members of his ministry have chosen the city of Shao-gong, which has one-million residents, as the place to launch the “city of water” project, in which dozens of Israeli technology companies will partake in managing the water in the city, including the production stages, preservation, measurement and recycling.

Some 20 representatives of Israeli water technology companies accompanied Bennett on the visit. Each company is holding business meetings with potential Chinese clients.

Czech Republic

Israel and the Czech Republic have made large steps towards collaboration on water issues. After encountering water technology during a seminar in October, Dr. Pavel Punčochář, who is responsible for the water arena at the Czech Ministry of Agriculture, expressed enthusiasm about importing the technology to the Czech Republic.

The seminar focused on areas of particular relevance to the Czech market, including water safety and protection, wastewater reclamation and aquaculture technologies.

Adi Yefet of Israel NewTech, a government agency that supports Israel’s growing industry, sees a definite potential for Israeli water companies in the Czech Republic. “The Czech government and private sector understand that in order to address future challenges, they need to implement advanced water technologies, and they are also beginning to recognize Israel’s strength and experience in the water arena. This is the root for what we hope will be a quickly expanding economic opportunity for Israeli water companies,” Yefet said.

Africa

A new Israeli company, Waterways, was recently established to take Israel’s impressive innovations in water technology and adapt them to rural areas in Africa.

Ornit Avidar, a former diplomat, has made it her new life mission to help water technologies enter African villages and to succeed.

Through her research she has found that approximately 50 percent of all water projects in Africa’s rural regions cease to function within a year of implementation. Cultural reasons, lack of upkeep funding and conflict are some of the reasons why imported solutions have not succeeded in Africa.

Avidar focuses on providing water solutions to Africa’s villagers. Her solutions are adapted to the local population’s capabilities, thus ensuring the longevity of the project.

A growing number of Israeli companies fit the Waterways approach, such as SunDWater, which helps people tap into salty water sources. The off-grid solution pumps up water and purifies it by using thermal solar radiation. People from all over Africa are already asking for it.

Economists predict that in the next 15 years, Africa’s economy will be growing at a frenzied pace, similar to India and China, and billions of dollars’ worth of business deals are already flowing between Israel and the continent. Avidar is laying the groundwork for further development and has thus far signed 12 letters of intent with African governments to implement Israel’s soft water-tech solutions.

Waterways also signed an agreement with the Water and Sanitation Organization of Africa, which links 36 countries under its umbrella.

Israel has provided technological solutions to surmount water-related obstacles to California and San Diego and has received world-class awards for its efforts.

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Author: United with Israel Staff