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>Water >
New Technologies
Israel-India
> Business Guide >
2017
Technology can bring
relief in a number of
areas: urban water
systems, water for
agriculture, wastewater
treatment, water
use in industry and
more. Technology
has leapfrogged: Big
Data and the Internet
of Things (IoT) are
making possible
collation of immense
amounts of data and
information and has
reduced decision-
making in Water
Management in
real-time
Agriculture – where 70% of the world’s water goes
Water for agriculture can be supplied sufficiently if we implement
smart technologies. In Israel more than 50% of water for irrigation
comes from treated sewage water. Drip Irrigation technology has
changed the face of irrigation for agriculture, saving between 20%
and 50% on water consumption,and is spreading quickly worldwide.
A number of companies are bringing hi-tech expertise – in algorithms,
sensors, measurement and control – to agriculture. One company
has developed a system which samples and monitors, in real-time,
the chemical and physical changes in the root zone. Using fuzzy-
control algorithms,the system automatically activates irrigation and
fertilization,saving 50% on water consumption benefiting dairy and
fish farms as well.
Our cities are ‘leaking’
Large desalination and water purification, while being especially in
countries like Israel where there is an inherent lack of fresh water,
have helped but we need to control the wastage of fresh water
through inefficient municipal water systems.Non-RevenueWater (or
NRW) is lost through leaky pipes,inaccurate measurement and theft.
Innovative technology has helped‘see’what is going on in the pipes
under our city sidewalks. Today we can manage pressure on the
pipes and lengthen their shelf-life.
For municipalities that lack monitoring capabilities,another company
offers easy to use “water kits” with sensors that monitor the water
flow, and yet another uses satellite imagery to detect leaks,with no
need for any infrastructure implements on the ground.
Successful water loss reduction programs have been implemented in
various places in the world.An ambitious project in Jamshedpur,India
by the private utility Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company,was
able to lower water loss froman estimated 36% in 2005 to 10% in 2009.
Water quality is equally important.A young Israeli startup is marketing
a unique straw like electronic device which can be dipped in water
to get a reading on water quality within seconds. The device costs
only $50 and is reusable.
Taking the“waste”out of wastewater
The modern world’s industrial activity has created a major challenge
for humanity – wastewater. One prime example of the dangers of
wastewater is River Ganges. This sacred river, which provides over
25% of India’s total water resources,has been so polluted by industrial
and human waste that in some parts the levels of bacteria are 120
times greater than what is considered to be safe levels for bathing.
The current government in India is placing heavy emphasis on the
herculean task of cleaning up River Ganges. The World Bank has
committed $1 Billion to the project, called the ‘Ganges Action Plan’,
and Israel – led by the efforts of Israel NewTech - is working closely
with India’s Ministry ofWater Resources,River Development & Ganga
Rejuvenation to bring advanced Israeli wastewater purification
technologies to the project.
Israel is recognized not only for the amount of treated wastewater
it produces, but for the quality of the water as well. Mekorot’s Dan
Wastewater Treatment Plant was recognized by the United Nations
as one of 30 leading global projects that demonstrate the ability of
government projects to confront environmental challenges.The plant’s
unique method uses the natural filtration qualities of sand in order
to improve the quality of sewage.After wastewater is purified in an
ordinary facility,it is recharged into the ground,where it undergoes
an additional, natural filtration making it suitable for irrigation.
Breakthrough technology innovations mean that wastewater treatment
doesn’t necessarily have to depend on large, expensive plants.One
inexpensive solution is a modular Spiral Aerobic Biofilm Reactor
(SABRE).The breathable membrane enables 90% savings in energy,
Oded Distel (second from right), the Director of Israel NewTech, on a delegation visit to India