Israel\'s sorely-needed desalination program has finally taken its first step. A group composed of Dankner-Elran Investments, Engineering and Desalination, and Vivendi of France - the world\'s largest desalination company - has won Israel\'s first desalination tender, after offering the world\'s lowest price of 52.7 cents per cubic meter. Israeli consumers presently pay approximately 63 cents per cubic meter. The contract stipulates that the concern, which will make an initial investment of $150 million, must begin producing 50 million cubic meters of desalinated water within two years. The desalination will be accomplished via reverse osmosis.
Doron Gruper, head of Dankner-Elran, told Arut-7 today that this was only the first of several desalination tenders that the Israeli government will run, as the country\'s water consumption is seven or eight times higher than the 50 million cubic meters his concern will provide. The tender was a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), and after 25 years, the plant will be handed over to the State.
Doron Gruper, head of Dankner-Elran, told Arut-7 today that this was only the first of several desalination tenders that the Israeli government will run, as the country\'s water consumption is seven or eight times higher than the 50 million cubic meters his concern will provide. The tender was a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), and after 25 years, the plant will be handed over to the State.