Desalination of Seawater Success Story – Israel

There are many countries facing water crises, especially in the Middle East and Africa. The irony is that Earth is covered water – over 70% of earth's surface. Despite the vast water sources, the world is facing water crisis. Seawater is unusable and freshwater is scarce in many parts of the world. Now you can imagine magnitude of the issue. Is there a way to solve this problem? 

Desalination has emerged as one of the most effective ways to address the water issues. In fact, many countries have implanted it and had a great success. One such country is Israel. It has successfully used desalination to solve water problems in the country. 

Countries facing water crisis issues can look at Israel for inspiration. Industries can also benefit from efficient desalination of sea water . 

Find out how Israel has managed to use this method for this purpose. 

Desalination of Seawater 

Efficient desalination of seawater is a method of converting seawater or brackish water into potable water. This is done by removing the salt and other minerals from the water and making it suitable for human use. There are many methods to do it and Reverse Osmosis is a very popular method. 

Both governments and industries can use this method to convert seawater into potable water. Freshwater is needed for all types of purposes including drinking, cooking, and industrial processes. 

Israel has used desalination method to convert seawater and brackish water into potable water. Along with that, it has also used water conservation method to create a sustainable system. 

Israel Addressed its Water Crisis Issue with Desalination

As you know, Israel is one of the countries that has used efficient desalination of seawater to solve its water issues. There are many reasons why it has the water problem in the first place. Like most of the countries in the Middle East, Israel too is a dry country. It had a limited supply of freshwater. But it turned things around with the help of desalination. 

1. Inconsistent Rainfall 

One of the reasons why Israel has water problem was inconsistent rainfall. The amount of precipitation wasn't consistent all those years and sometimes, rainfall is below the average. In fact, the rainfall sometimes falls short of a multi-year average. Increasing population has further put the pressure on existing freshwater sources. This issue led the country to find an alternative source of water.  

2. Steps Taken to Save Water 

Apart from desalination, Israel has also taken many steps to save water. Economical use of water, and preventing waste, are some of the ways to save water. Plus, it also reduces the amount of water used in agriculture . It is well-known for using drip-irrigation system to reduce water use and wastage and ensure maximum efficiency. Several campaigns were also done to encourage people to use water consciously. 

3. Desalination Plan 

Desalination plan was drawn and it began in 3rd August, 2000 with a cabinet decision to build a desalination plant on the southern coast. It was for producing 50 million m3 of water a year. It was later increased from 505 million m3 to 750 million m3 by 2020. And, by 2030, volume of desalinated water will be ,100 million m3.  

4.Desalination Results 

So far, Israel has successfully managed to produce to 585 million m3 of water per year with efficient desalination of seawater and brackish water. The Soreq plant in Israel alone provides 150 million m3 of desalinated water per year. Then the Hadera plant - 127 million m3, Ashkelon plant - 118 million m3, and Palmachim plant - 90 million m3 of water every year.  

5.Future of Desalination 

Apart from the existing desalination plants, Israel has other plans for setting up new ones too. It has successfully used desalination to provide sufficient water supply for various purposes. And, it plans to expand the project of efficient desalination of seawater . 

Desalination of Seawater for Solving Water Crisis

Apart from Israel, countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, USA and other countries are now using desalination. To some extent, it has helped solve the water supply issues. The issue of environmental damage still lingers, but as the advancement in technology and innovative approach has helped reduce the impact. 

In many ways, desalination of seawater can help countries fight the water crisis. When done correctly, it can help with the water issues as well as reduce environmental impact. Industries can benefit from desalination as it can provide them with steady supply of water without putting pressure on the freshwater supply. 

The Bottom Line 

Efficient desalination of seawater has helped Israel address its water crisis and many other countries are also using it. It has helped the country and proved that it can become a solution for the world water crisis. With the help of the right technology and approach, it can be successfully implemented with minimized damages. 

Keiken Engineering specializes in providing customized desalination solution to a wide range of industries. Using the best technology and with an expert team, we help industries find the right solution. 

More details here - https://www.keiken-engineering.com/plants-for-demineralization