Israel, with its long-standing expertise in water management dating back to biblical times, has become a global pioneer in desalination and water recycling technologies. Mr. Lifshitz emphasized that 70% of Israel’s domestic water consumption now originates from desalination, with the country maintaining one of the lowest water loss rates globally—just 3% in the national system.

Participants learned about the Water Authority’s strategic goals, including a long-term master plan for 2075, the expansion of desalination capacity, and future tenders such as the Sorek 2 desalination plant and a new facility planned for Emek Hefer. These projects are expected to be implemented under the PPP (public-private partnership) model, offering significant business opportunities for international suppliers and contractors.

Sorek Desalination: A Technological Milestone

The Sorek A plant is currently Israel’s largest desalination facility, operating 24/7 and pumping seawater at pressures of up to 70 bars through a reverse osmosis process. The system uses 15,000 specialized membrane elements to purify seawater, achieving nearly 99.9% removal of organic molecules.

The facility is located 2.5 km from the Mediterranean shore and features deep underground pipelines—15 meters below ground—and an extensive brine return line reaching 2 km into the sea at a depth of 22 meters. The byproduct brine, which is twice as saline as seawater, is being studied for the potential recovery of valuable minerals such as calcium and magnesium for use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

The tour of the plant was personally guided by Mr. Semion Brover, CEO of Sorek, whose expertise and detailed explanations provided participants with a deep understanding of the technological processes and operational excellence behind one of Israel’s most important water facilities. We sincerely thank Mr. Brover for his time, valuable insights, and for making this visit especially informative.

Tenders and Opportunities for Czech and EU Companies

The Israeli government, through the Ministry of Finance (Hashkal), regularly publishes tenders related to water infrastructure. Desalination plant tenders are issued in English and are open to foreign companies.

The upcoming Sorek 2 and Emek Hefer desalination projects, as well as ongoing investment by Mekorot (the national water company), estimated between 4.5 to 7.2 billion NIS annually, represent a promising entry point for Czech and other EU-based companies in areas such as water treatment technology, engineering, and membrane manufacturing.

We extend our sincere thanks to the EU Delegation Trade Section and the Israel Water Authority for organizing this informative and forward-looking visit.

For more information about upcoming tenders and how Czech companies can participate in Israel’s water infrastructure projects, please contact the Commercial Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Tel Aviv.