Water, water

Using bacteria, an Israeli company has built a detection system to catch contaminants in the water supply.

Tiny phosphorescent bacteria that glow a warning signal when fed polluted water… a protection fence decked out with cameras and alarms to stop would-be water terrorists… or how about the complete package, replete with a battery-operated online monitoring system for the entire city? They’re all being offered by Whitewater, a portfolio of Israeli companies, and were just some of the newer technologies of the rather ‘liquid’ Israeli water technology market that was being showcased last week at the 4th annual three-day WATEC water technology convention in Tel Aviv.

Not all of the technology on display is so new.

Part of a quasi-governmental African delegation from Botswana, Thamane and his colleagues were looking for solutions to make water use more efficient. The WATEC conference was the first stop on their quest and Netafim was a familiar name. “There is no argument,” says Idit Gavrielli, a rep from Netafim, “we invented the drip irrigation system. The company has grown into a half-billion dollars in sales this year, mostly in global exports,” she tells ISRAEL21c. Netafim began about 40 years ago. It developed a system that transfers water through tiny holes on a labyrinth of pipes buried just below the soil surface. This way, water loss by evaporation can be minimized. The invention devised by a small arid nation that had little in water reserves was an instant success. It started a chain reaction in the water business, which today shows no sign of slowing down.

There are those who say that the next Middle East war will be over water not land. Maybe, but it appears that Israeli companies are doing a lot to prevent that from happening.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.