Speaking on The Jerusalem Post's “Rebuilding the North” broadcast, Amit Lang, CEO of Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, said the company had the ability to supply water to the North throughout the previous war months.Though there were a few incidents in which local water infrastructure was damaged, Mekorot employees were able to resolve these issues rapidly. Lang said that Hezbollah attacked specific pumping and water facilities, as well as pipelines. He praised the efforts of the company’s employees for their commitment to overcoming the complex challenges that presented themselves.

As soon as the ceasefire in the North was announced, he said, Mekorot put a massive work plan into action and is in the process of restoring all of the infrastructure that was damaged. Due to redundant systems and the creativity of the company’s engineers, the water supply was not affected during the war, he explained. Lang said that the damaged infrastructure will be completely restored within the next several months.

In addition, the company will be focusing on adding additional water infrastructure in the North, including a new desalination facility for the western Galilee, which is intended to connect the entire North to another highly significant water source.
Mekorot is resuming its massive development throughout the country, said Lang, with a strong focus on expanding connections to areas further from the system that currently rely on regional water sources. “We want to connect everyone to the national system, including desalination, and ensure the high supply reliability that the national system offers,” he said.
“The idea is that every settlement and every point on the map that has either agriculture or residences will be connected to the national system,” said Lang. “There are still several remote areas in the northern and southern parts of Israel that rely on local water sources, primarily groundwater drilling. Drilling and groundwater are less reliable sources and are highly susceptible to contamination, vulnerable to earthquakes, as well as prone to malfunction. Our challenge, our desire, and our ambition is to connect all points to the national system, which is the most reliable system in the world. Every point that we manage to connect to the national system will ensure a continuous water supply with complete reliability. That is where we are going,” he said.
Lang estimated that almost all of the remote areas he mentioned will be connected to the national water carrier within the next three to four years. He noted that Mekorot has a far-reaching vision and plans for 20 years, analyzing climate phenomena, anticipating challenges, and planning. “That’s why we are the best company in the world,” he said.

This article was written in cooperation with Mekorot.