Israel's Benefits from Water Technology

Israel is in need of water technology so it can prevent or attempt to resolve the water shortage in the Middle East. However, securing clean, fresh drinking water is not the only benefit the Israeli government and top Israeli companies would gain. Israel stands to become a world power in the water industry if it continues on this path of intellectual genius.

Uri Yogev, chairman of the Alliance at the World Water Day conference said "Israel is in good opening position for handling the international opportunity"

This means he believes Israel will be able to compete with international companies in inventing and manufacturing water technology, while competing for world contracts. Israel if able to do so would become a lead player in exporting water materials.

The global water market is estimated at $360 billion dollars and grows by 7% to 8% percent a year, Yogev said. He also said $240 billion dollars is invested in water facilities and $80 in water resource technology. Israel is hoping that within the next ten years it will increase its revenues in the water industry from one billion dollars to ten billion dollars putting it in the center of the world arena. If Israel becomes a world power in water technology this can mean great things for its economy and the people of Israel.

In one aspect of the water industry Israel is already a world leader in desalination. A $200 million plant built by Israel Desalination Enterprises and France's Veolia Water is supplying drinking water to much of Israel's southern Negev region. Water produced at a string of desalination plants planned for the Mediterranean coast is expected to meet 15% of the country's needs in 2008.

Israel companies for the first time are competing with both American and European companies on the same level which illustrates Israel as an equal rather as a country that is constantly engulfed in conflict.