Mekorot Commits NIS 800 Million to Double Eilat's Water Supply Through Desalination Expansion

Israel's national water company Mekorot has announced a comprehensive NIS 800 million ($216 million) investment plan to double the water supply to Eilat, the country's southernmost city. The project centers on a major expansion of the Sabcha desalination plant and supporting pipeline infrastructure, responding to growing demand from population growth, tourism, and agricultural development in the southern Arava region.

Breaking Down the Investment

The NIS 800 million investment is divided into two main components. NIS 500 million will fund the physical expansion of the Sabcha desalination facility, which currently produces approximately 18 million cubic meters of fresh water annually. The expansion will effectively double this capacity, providing enough water to support a projected population of 100,000 residents — more than double Eilat's current population of approximately 53,000.

The remaining NIS 300 million will be invested in supporting infrastructure, including new transmission pipelines, pumping stations, storage reservoirs, and distribution network upgrades within the city. This infrastructure backbone is essential to ensure that increased production capacity can actually reach consumers reliably.

Responding to Growing Demand

Eilat's water supply has been under increasing pressure from multiple sources. The city's tourism industry — which draws millions of visitors annually to the Red Sea resort — creates massive seasonal demand spikes. Concurrently, agricultural operations in the Arava valley, which produces a significant portion of Israel's winter vegetables and exotic fruits for export, require reliable irrigation water.

"We've reached a point where demand is catching up with supply," said Mekorot's Southern Region Director. "The expansion isn't just about meeting today's needs — it's about ensuring Eilat and the entire southern Arava have water security for the next 30 years."

Technical Innovation

The Sabcha plant expansion will incorporate the latest reverse osmosis membrane technology, which achieves higher water recovery rates while consuming less energy than the original installation. Mekorot engineers have developed proprietary pre-treatment processes optimized for the unique characteristics of Red Sea water, which differs significantly from the Mediterranean seawater processed at Israel's coastal desalination plants.

Energy efficiency is a particular focus given Eilat's remote location and the cost of electricity in the southern region. The expanded facility will integrate solar energy to offset a portion of its power consumption, taking advantage of the Arava's exceptional solar radiation — among the highest in Israel.

Part of a National Investment Program

The Eilat project is a centerpiece of Mekorot's broader 2026-2028 development plan, which envisions an average annual infrastructure investment of NIS 1.6 billion across the entire national water system. Other major projects in the pipeline include upgrades to the National Water Carrier, expansion of recycled water capacity for agriculture, and construction of new reservoirs.

Mekorot currently operates a national water system that includes 12 desalination and water treatment facilities, 3,000 kilometers of pipelines, 700 wells, and 300 reservoirs. The company supplies approximately 1.6 billion cubic meters of water annually to 7.5 million consumers.

Strategic Significance

Eilat's water independence carries strategic importance beyond routine supply. The city is geographically isolated at the southern tip of the Negev, far from Israel's main water infrastructure in the center and north. A robust local desalination capacity ensures the city can maintain essential services even if national distribution networks are disrupted.

The expansion is expected to begin construction in 2026 and reach full operational capacity by 2029. Environmental impact assessments have been completed, and brine discharge management plans — a critical concern for desalination facilities — have been approved by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.