(CNN) Seth M. Siegel - With drought becoming the new normal, policymakers would be wise to take a look at what Israel has done, and begin the process of creating their own water-resilient societies. Israel gets nearly all of its tap water from desalination plants along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and a large part of its water for agriculture by purifying and re-using the nation's sewage. Israel charges the real price for water (though the cost is subsidized for those receiving social welfare). This means consumers, farmers and industry are always looking for ways to conserve water, or to use technology for the most efficient use possible. In most of the world, water is deeply subsidized, which leads to enormous wasting of water due to overuse. For Israel, it is cheaper to fix leaky pipes than to waste water, so Israel has an uncommonly low leak factor of 7-8%. The administration of the country's water is in the hands of apolitical technocrats.
2022-09-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive