Israel India | Business Guide | 2017

048 >Water > New Technologies Israel-India > Business Guide > 2017 Technology can bring relief in a number of areas: urban water systems, water for agriculture, wastewater treatment, water use in industry and more. Technology has leapfrogged: Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT) are making possible collation of immense amounts of data and information and has reduced decision- making in Water Management in real-time Agriculture – where 70% of the world’s water goes Water for agriculture can be supplied sufficiently if we implement smart technologies. In Israel more than 50% of water for irrigation comes from treated sewage water. Drip Irrigation technology has changed the face of irrigation for agriculture, saving between 20% and 50% on water consumption,and is spreading quickly worldwide. A number of companies are bringing hi-tech expertise – in algorithms, sensors, measurement and control – to agriculture. One company has developed a system which samples and monitors, in real-time, the chemical and physical changes in the root zone. Using fuzzy- control algorithms,the system automatically activates irrigation and fertilization,saving 50% on water consumption benefiting dairy and fish farms as well. Our cities are ‘leaking’ Large desalination and water purification, while being especially in countries like Israel where there is an inherent lack of fresh water, have helped but we need to control the wastage of fresh water through inefficient municipal water systems.Non-RevenueWater (or NRW) is lost through leaky pipes,inaccurate measurement and theft. Innovative technology has helped‘see’what is going on in the pipes under our city sidewalks. Today we can manage pressure on the pipes and lengthen their shelf-life. For municipalities that lack monitoring capabilities,another company offers easy to use “water kits” with sensors that monitor the water flow, and yet another uses satellite imagery to detect leaks,with no need for any infrastructure implements on the ground. Successful water loss reduction programs have been implemented in various places in the world.An ambitious project in Jamshedpur,India by the private utility Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company,was able to lower water loss froman estimated 36% in 2005 to 10% in 2009. Water quality is equally important.A young Israeli startup is marketing a unique straw like electronic device which can be dipped in water to get a reading on water quality within seconds.  The device costs only $50 and is reusable. Taking the“waste”out of wastewater The modern world’s industrial activity has created a major challenge for humanity – wastewater. One prime example of the dangers of wastewater is River Ganges. This sacred river, which provides over 25% of India’s total water resources,has been so polluted by industrial and human waste that in some parts the levels of bacteria are 120 times greater than what is considered to be safe levels for bathing. The current government in India is placing heavy emphasis on the herculean task of cleaning up River Ganges. The World Bank has committed $1 Billion to the project, called the ‘Ganges Action Plan’, and Israel – led by the efforts of Israel NewTech - is working closely with India’s Ministry ofWater Resources,River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation to bring advanced Israeli wastewater purification technologies to the project. Israel is recognized not only for the amount of treated wastewater it produces, but for the quality of the water as well. Mekorot’s Dan Wastewater Treatment Plant was recognized by the United Nations as one of 30 leading global projects that demonstrate the ability of government projects to confront environmental challenges.The plant’s unique method uses the natural filtration qualities of sand in order to improve the quality of sewage.After wastewater is purified in an ordinary facility,it is recharged into the ground,where it undergoes an additional, natural filtration making it suitable for irrigation. Breakthrough technology innovations mean that wastewater treatment doesn’t necessarily have to depend on large, expensive plants.One inexpensive solution is a modular Spiral Aerobic Biofilm Reactor (SABRE).The breathable membrane enables 90% savings in energy, Oded Distel (second from right), the Director of Israel NewTech, on a delegation visit to India