Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 13, 2008 Adar2 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:31 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 03:46 12/03/2008 Time to manage demand By Haaretz Editorial Tags: water resources, Israel A paucity of rainfall and a continued rise in consumption have put Israel on the verge of a water crisis, the most severe in a decade. The water level of the Kinneret and of the groundwater reserves has dropped sharply. As a result, water supply for vital needs may run into difficulties, and there is a genuine threat to the quality of the water due to the acceleration of salination processes tied to the lowered water level. This is not the first time that Israel has encountered such a crisis. Each time they occur, crises of this kind take a heavy economic toll. The danger they pose to the country's water sources does not pass when the crisis itself is over; rather, there is a cumulative effect that places the country's water sources in long-term jeopardy. The government's common solution is to establish seawater desalination facilities. Two such facilities are already operating successfully at Ashkelon and Palmahim. Another large plant is being built at Hadera, and is to begin operation in about 18 months. Building the facilities is expensive, and the water they produce is costly. They take up beachfront lands and consume energy produced by power stations, which cause pollution. In addition, these facilities give legitimacy to the continued overuse of Israel's natural resources. Advertisement It is time for Israel to go beyond managing supply and to start overseeing demand as well, by promoting water conservation and using economic measures. The necessary knowledge and experience exist, but until now the Water Authority and other government ministries have not succeeded in promoting conservation awareness or in using the means needed to reduce the demand for water. The Water Authority already has certain regulations, such as those limiting the use of water for gardening, but these have barely been enforced. Public information and education could also be put to greater use to encourage conservation. The state also has at its disposal a range of economic measures, which until now have been largely unused. Economic incentives can be given to those who purchase water-saving devices, and the massive consumption of water in agriculture must be addressed. It is absurd to raise crops that require a great deal of water and to import them to water-rich countries in Europe. Agriculture must cut back on crops requiring a great deal of freshwater. This can be achieved by canceling the subsidization of water for agriculture and making its cost equal to that of water used by households and in industry. Israel's farmers have already proven their ability to become more efficient in their wide use of purified water and sewage for irrigation. Managing the demand for water should be part of a broader effort to manage demand in areas relating to infrastructure and the environment, an effort that is all but non-existent in Israel today. Economic measures can be used to cut down travel in private cars, thus saving the working hours lost to traffic congestion and the health costs incurred by vehicular pollution. It is also necessary to formulate a national energy conservation plan that will reduce the environmental effects and Israel's dependence on imported fuel. Hopefully, on this matter the Ministry of National Infrastructures will respond to the National Planning and Construction Council's recent request and present measures for conserving energy. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bring the house down Dichter to police: Demolish home of J'lem yeshiva terrorist. Media frenzy Israel to boycott Al-Jazeera TV, claiming incitement to terror.   1.   clean the sewage water and generate gas for cars 18:00  |  Diego 12/03/08   2.   Easy 20:41  |  Danite 12/03/08   3.   First stop polluting the water resources 08:54  |  Ethan 13/03/08   4.   LEFTISTS who support giving water to Arabs are BIGGEST consumers 09:43  |  Moshe 13/03/08

Today Online FM: Israel to stop West Bank settlement activities Responses: 28 Islamic Jihad fires 15 rockets at Israel, ending week lull Responses: 30 Amira Hass: PA officials should act more like Gandhi Responses: 2 Poll: Half of Jewish public oppose Arabs in their neighborhoods Responses: 15 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue Responses: 12 More Headlines 08:47 FM: Israel to stop W. Bank settlement activities 10:07 Islamic Jihad fires 15 rockets at Israel, ending week lull 10:08 Israel and the U.S. / Washington dissatisfied with Israel's footdragging in W. Bank 09:13 Targeted assassination / Little room for mistakes 09:18 Wagner show in Nazi-era hall to raise funds for Ramallah venue 09:51 Poll: Half of Israeli Jews don't want Arabs in their communities 09:58 Body of yeshiva gunman buried in private East J'lem ceremony 09:24 Power plays delay recovery of Shoah restitution body 05:57 Sorry, no more children, hopeful parents told after years of waiting to adopt 08:13 IBA exec tried for indecent acts on minor still runs kids' radio 06:58 Rightist rabbis call on Jews to avenge yeshiva killings 04:35 ANALYSIS: Admiral's break with Bush on Iran lands him on the outs Previous Editions Select Day 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar 09 mar 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb

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