Delegation of the European Union to the State of Israel EU Israel Cooperation in the Field of Water Regional Water Seminar Amman 21-24 March 2011

Delegation of the European UnionDelegation of the European Union to the State of Israel to the State of Israel

EU Israel Cooperation in the EU Israel Cooperation in the Field of WaterField of Water

Regional Water Seminar Amman 21-24 March 2011


Israel’s Water Sector - Major Israel’s Water Sector - Major ChallengesChallenges

• Israel entered the 21st century with one of its Israel entered the 21st century with one of its greatest water overdrafts evergreatest water overdrafts ever

• The The cumulative deficit (annual consumption in cumulative deficit (annual consumption in comparison to average annual replenishment comparison to average annual replenishment rate of major aquifers) is c. 1.5 billion cubic rate of major aquifers) is c. 1.5 billion cubic metres metres

• 75% of the annual rainfall is concentrated into 75% of the annual rainfall is concentrated into four winter months.four winter months.

• Rainfall averages up to 950 millimetres per Rainfall averages up to 950 millimetres per year in some parts of Galilee in the north in year in some parts of Galilee in the north in contrast to 25 millimetres in the southern tip of contrast to 25 millimetres in the southern tip of the Negevthe Negev


MAJOR CHALLENGESMAJOR CHALLENGES - - continuedcontinued

• Periods of drought or near drought Periods of drought or near drought interspersed with periods of heavy interspersed with periods of heavy rainfallrainfall

• Entering seventh drought yearEntering seventh drought year

• Water scarcity exacerbated by the Water scarcity exacerbated by the deteriorating quality of water deteriorating quality of water resources due to demographic, resources due to demographic, industrial and agricultural pressuresindustrial and agricultural pressures


Regulatory Framework & Regulatory Framework & PoliciesPolicies

• Water policies have evolved from basic water supply Water policies have evolved from basic water supply management to more integrated policies that consider management to more integrated policies that consider water demand water demand

• Water Law of 1959 (and subsequent regulations)Water Law of 1959 (and subsequent regulations)• regulates management of Israel's water resources, regulates management of Israel's water resources,

their preservation and their allocation for usetheir preservation and their allocation for use• sets fine levels, establishes personal liability, sets fine levels, establishes personal liability,

empowers courts to impose cleanup expenses on empowers courts to impose cleanup expenses on polluters or to undertake cleanups, and enables polluters or to undertake cleanups, and enables citizens to initiate legal proceedings against citizens to initiate legal proceedings against offenders offenders

• All water resources in Israel are owned by the public - All water resources in Israel are owned by the public - no private water rights or resourcesno private water rights or resources


Regulatory Framework & Policies - continuedRegulatory Framework & Policies - continued

• Transitional Master Plan for Water Sector Transitional Master Plan for Water Sector Development (2002-2010) relates to policy, Development (2002-2010) relates to policy, institutional and operational changes which are institutional and operational changes which are required to manage the water sector:required to manage the water sector:

• Water conservation and water saving projects, Water conservation and water saving projects, reclamation of large amounts of effluents to replace reclamation of large amounts of effluents to replace fresh water for agricultural irrigation, seawater and fresh water for agricultural irrigation, seawater and brackish water desalination and remediation of brackish water desalination and remediation of wellswells

• Establishment of Water Authority in 2007 to Establishment of Water Authority in 2007 to centralise responsibilities previously dispersed centralise responsibilities previously dispersed through number of ministriesthrough number of ministries

• WA Currently preparing National Water Plan present - WA Currently preparing National Water Plan present - 20502050


Institutional FrameworkInstitutional Framework• Water AuthorityWater Authority - - responsible for the entire water responsible for the entire water

chain from pumping to sewage treatment to chain from pumping to sewage treatment to reclamation. Also responsible for setting tariffs and for reclamation. Also responsible for setting tariffs and for restructuring water rates to reflect water supply costs, restructuring water rates to reflect water supply costs, including scarcityincluding scarcity

• Council of the Authority - an interagency body, Council of the Authority - an interagency body, headed by the Director of the Authority, and headed by the Director of the Authority, and composed of senior representatives of the Ministries composed of senior representatives of the Ministries of Finance, National Infrastructure, Environmental of Finance, National Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and InteriorProtection and Interior

• Ministry of Environmental ProtectionMinistry of Environmental Protection responsible responsible for prevention of water pollutionfor prevention of water pollution

• Minister for HealthMinister for Health responsible for permits for responsible for permits for irrigation using reclaimed effluents and control of irrigation using reclaimed effluents and control of potable water qualitypotable water quality


National Water CarrierNational Water Carrier

• Constructed 1950s-1960sConstructed 1950s-1960s

• Single water network able to convey 450 million cubic Single water network able to convey 450 million cubic metres of water per year metres of water per year

• Since the early 1990s, supplies more than half of Israel’s Since the early 1990s, supplies more than half of Israel’s drinking water drinking water

• Originally intended to supply irrigation water to the central Originally intended to supply irrigation water to the central and southern regions of Israeland southern regions of Israel

• Sea of Galilee has become the NWC’s primary natural Sea of Galilee has become the NWC’s primary natural reservoirreservoir

• Originally intended to combine 3 sources - Sea of Galilee and Originally intended to combine 3 sources - Sea of Galilee and the mountain coastal aquifersthe mountain coastal aquifers

• The National Water Carrier is also used to recharge The National Water Carrier is also used to recharge aquifers and groundwateraquifers and groundwater


OTHER PLAYERSOTHER PLAYERS

• Strong agricultural lobbyStrong agricultural lobby

• Increasingly vocal and professional civil Increasingly vocal and professional civil societysociety• In early 2010, coalition of NGOs produced their In early 2010, coalition of NGOs produced their

vision for the water sector to 2030 vision for the water sector to 2030 • Preceded report of State Commission of Inquiry Preceded report of State Commission of Inquiry

into the Water Economyinto the Water Economy

Questioning of desalination both because of the Questioning of desalination both because of the environmental affects and because makes it environmental affects and because makes it easier to downplay conservation easier to downplay conservation


THE NGO POSITION AS PRESENTED BY IUED THE NGO POSITION AS PRESENTED BY IUED INVERTED TRIANGLESINVERTED TRIANGLES

Construction of

permeable water

preservation facility

Restoration of polluted

water sources

Medium quality purification and reuse of effluents

DESALINATION

Reuse of grey water – saving of 15 cbm

Construction of permeable water preservation facility

supply 100 cbm

Efficient use of water – saving of 200 cbmRestoration of polluted water sources – at

least 80 cbm

High quality purification & reuse of effluents – +

160 cbm

Current Government Priorities Desired Government Priorities

Conservation and efficient use of water Desalination


The Political Framework The Political Framework

• Israel not a recipient of EU bilateral Israel not a recipient of EU bilateral assistanceassistance

• Cooperation in the field of water Cooperation in the field of water through:through:

•EU-Israel Association AgreementEU-Israel Association Agreement

•ENP Action PlanENP Action Plan

•Participation in ENPI regional programmesParticipation in ENPI regional programmes

•Euro Med activities including Horizon 2020Euro Med activities including Horizon 2020

•EXACTEXACT

•EU Framework Programmes for ResearchEU Framework Programmes for Research

• In the past, also through LIFE Third CountriesIn the past, also through LIFE Third Countries


ENP Water Priorities ENP Water Priorities ENP Action PlanENP Action Plan

No specific section on water - covered by No specific section on water - covered by Environment:Environment:

• Prevent pollution of waters, in particular through Prevent pollution of waters, in particular through enhanced water pollutant emission reporting, enhanced water pollutant emission reporting, drawing on the experiences within the EU Water drawing on the experiences within the EU Water Framework DirectiveFramework Directive

• Enhance co-operation between relevant authorities Enhance co-operation between relevant authorities on prevention of air pollution and pollution of water on prevention of air pollution and pollution of water resourcesresources

• Exchange of information between Israel and the Exchange of information between Israel and the Commission on best practices on water re-useCommission on best practices on water re-use


Association Agreement Water Association Agreement Water Priorities Priorities

Association Agreement - launched in 1995, in force since Association Agreement - launched in 1995, in force since 20002000

No specific section on water – covered by No specific section on water – covered by EnvironmentEnvironment

• Cooperation shall focus, in particular, on:Cooperation shall focus, in particular, on:

• the quality of Mediterranean water and the control the quality of Mediterranean water and the control and prevention of marine pollutionand prevention of marine pollution

• ““salinisation”salinisation”

• environmental management of sensitive coastal areasenvironmental management of sensitive coastal areas

• the impact of agriculture on soil and water qualitythe impact of agriculture on soil and water quality


InstrumentsInstruments for Cooperationfor CooperationTAIEX and TWINNING TAIEX and TWINNING • Twinning: €2 million per year available, but so Twinning: €2 million per year available, but so

far none on waterfar none on water• TAIEX: Israel heavy user of TAIEX, but so far TAIEX: Israel heavy user of TAIEX, but so far

none on water none on water

EIBEIB – – Israel eligible to take loans for eIsrael eligible to take loans for environmental nvironmental infrastructure. Examples: infrastructure. Examples:

• €€200 million for municipal wastewater schemes 200 million for municipal wastewater schemes • €€125 million of the financing for the Hadera 125 million of the financing for the Hadera

desalination plant as well as a further €35 desalination plant as well as a further €35 million of financing for its extension.million of financing for its extension.


R&D CooperationR&D Cooperation

• Israel has been associated to the Israel has been associated to the Framework ProgrammesFramework Programmes since 1996 since 1996

• FP7 Israeli participants focusing on water FP7 Israeli participants focusing on water include the major universities, Mekorot - include the major universities, Mekorot - the national water company, and the national water company, and engineering companiesengineering companies

• FP7 water projects cover desalination, FP7 water projects cover desalination, agriculture, assessment and monitoringagriculture, assessment and monitoring


R&D Cooperation - R&D Cooperation - continuedcontinued

Examples of Water R&D projects with partners from Examples of Water R&D projects with partners from the region:the region:

• SWITCH SWITCH Sustainable water management Sustainable water management improves tomorrow's cities' health – improves tomorrow's cities' health – partners partners include Palestine and Egyptinclude Palestine and Egypt

• Combined solar power and desalination plants: Combined solar power and desalination plants: technico-economic potential in Mediterranean technico-economic potential in Mediterranean Partner countriesPartner countries (ended May 2010) -(ended May 2010) - partners partners included Morocco, Palestine, Jordanincluded Morocco, Palestine, Jordan

• Nano-structured TiON Photo-Catalytic Membranes Nano-structured TiON Photo-Catalytic Membranes for Water Treatmentfor Water Treatment - - partners include Jordanpartners include Jordan

• Capture of evaporated water with novel Capture of evaporated water with novel membranesmembranes – – partners include Tunisiapartners include Tunisia


LIFE Third CountriesLIFE Third Countries

• Highly appreciated and much missed Highly appreciated and much missed instrumentinstrument

• Coordination with national authoritiesCoordination with national authorities (unlike (unlike the other civil society instruments)the other civil society instruments)

• Some examples:Some examples:• Protecting trans-boundary groundwater sources Protecting trans-boundary groundwater sources

from pollution: research, training and guidelines from pollution: research, training and guidelines for Israeli and Palestinian municipalities for Israeli and Palestinian municipalities (FOEME & (FOEME & House of Water and Environment)House of Water and Environment)

• Restoration and conservation in the re-flooded Restoration and conservation in the re-flooded Hula wetland habitat in northern IsraelHula wetland habitat in northern Israel (Galilee (Galilee Technology Centre)Technology Centre)


EU Partnership for PeaceEU Partnership for Peace• Programme managed jointly by EUTAO, Amman and Tel Programme managed jointly by EUTAO, Amman and Tel

AvivAviv

• Some examples of projects:Some examples of projects:• Environment Management and Planning as Environment Management and Planning as

a tool for Promoting Sustainable a tool for Promoting Sustainable Coexistence between Israelis and Coexistence between Israelis and PalestiniansPalestinians (TAEQ Sakhnin and Centre for (TAEQ Sakhnin and Centre for Environmental Diplomacy)Environmental Diplomacy)

• Trans-boundary Advocacy of Trans-boundary Advocacy of Parliamentarians over shared water issuesParliamentarians over shared water issues (Water and Environmental Development Organisation and (Water and Environmental Development Organisation and FOEME)FOEME)


Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Some conclusions and recommendations from Some conclusions and recommendations from

a 2009 environment workshopa 2009 environment workshop

• Importance of clearly and narrowly defining stakeholders to ensure Importance of clearly and narrowly defining stakeholders to ensure their active participationtheir active participation

• Nevertheless important to identify the full range of sectors Nevertheless important to identify the full range of sectors necessary for project’s success necessary for project’s success

• The cooperation and commitment of national, regional and local The cooperation and commitment of national, regional and local authorities is crucial in many cases for sustainability and credibilityauthorities is crucial in many cases for sustainability and credibility

• Participants asked about the relationship between EU environmental Participants asked about the relationship between EU environmental policy as expressed in the European Neighbourhood Policy and the policy as expressed in the European Neighbourhood Policy and the projects actually funded as this is not always obvious projects actually funded as this is not always obvious

• Some of the participants raised the issue of finding the correct Some of the participants raised the issue of finding the correct balance between government responsibility for implementing policy balance between government responsibility for implementing policy and providing services and the extent to which civil society and providing services and the extent to which civil society organizations should take on this role. organizations should take on this role.

• Necessity of coherence among programmesNecessity of coherence among programmes


THANK YOUTHANK YOU

Livia Stella & Alexandra MeirLivia Stella & Alexandra Meir

Documents

Delegation of the European Union to the State of Israel EU Israel Cooperation in the Field of Water Regional Water Seminar Amman 21-24 March 2011