Last update - 00:00 02/07/2007
Bill passed requiring solar powered water heaters in public housing
By Zvi Zrahiya, Haaretz Correspondent
The Knesset approved the third reading of a bill Monday calling for solar powered water heaters to be installed in all public housing apartments so that poverty stricken families will be able to reduce their electric bills.
The passed bill was proposed by Meretz MK Ran Cohen and the "Yedid" non-profit organization after it was discovered that most of the housing companies install electric water heaters and not solar powered ones.
The electric water heaters led to the absurd situation in which poverty stricken families would receive a NIS 100 rent discount ? but have to pay hundred of shekels in electricity bills.
During the legislation process, MK Cohen reached an agreement with former finance minister Abraham Hirchson and Housing Minister Meir Shitrit that the government would support the bill as long as the cost would be limited to NIS 5 million a year. The agreed upon budget will allow the state to install roughly 3000 solar powered water heaters a year.