Israel's Water Authority announced Monday that beginning on January 1, 2025, the price of water will rise 3.4%.
The price hike will affect all consumers: residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural.
According to the announcement, the average family of four, which uses about 16 cubic meters of water per month, will pay an additional five NIS on their monthly water and sewage bills: Their monthly payments are expected to rise to 127 NIS (without VAT), instead of the current 122 NIS.
The Water Authority explained that the rise in cost is due to the fact that 70% of Israel's water is desalinated, and the process needed to provide desalinated water costs significantly more than the process to provide natural water.
In addition, the cost of water provision has also risen, due to investments in infrastructure by the Mekorot company. The costs of upgrading sewage facilities and additional payments are part of the ongoing preparation for using desalinated water.