Israel: Reform in the water network

The first meeting was held last 15th February 2007 between Minister of National Infrastructure Benjamin (Fuad) Ben-Eliezer and the Water Authority Council, under the leadership of Prof. Uri Shani (Water Director). The purpose of the meeting:  Making the intended work arrangements of the Water Authority Council.  At the meeting, the minister gave his backing to the Authority’s director and the members of the Authority’s council, pointed out the importance and immensity of the task they face, and expressed his readiness to help however necessary.

The idea behind the process of establishing the Government Water and Sewage Authority is the uniting of the government’s jurisdiction in the areas of water and sewage under one authority. Until the authority’s establishment, this jurisdiction was spread among many ministries, such that it was quite difficult to set a unified government policy, and created many conflicts and collisions among the various bodies.

The roles of the Water Authority Council are anchored in the Water Law, and include, among others:

1. Arranging, developing and supervising the water system;
2. Carrying out government policy which has repercussions on the water system;
3. Determining rules for the granting of licenses under this law;
4. Determining rates and levies for the various uses of water;
5. Determining rules regarding water production, supply, quantity, quality, price, and use within the water purposes framework, and (regarding) an attack affecting the water;
6. Determining standards for handling sewage water;
7. Supervision over the National Water Authority and the regional water authorities;
8. Assisting the National Infrastructure Minister in fulfilling his role as the initiating minister regarding international treaties on the issue of water.