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Israel is a small country, and more than half of it is desert. For most of its history, water was one of its biggest problems. The country depended on rain, which falls only in winter, and on a few natural sources, such as the Sea of Galilee. At the same time, the population was growing fast, and so was the demand for water. In dry years, there was simply not enough water for farms, factories and homes.

Over the years, Israel developed several solutions. The first was in the fields. In the 1960s, an Israeli engineer, Simcha Blass, developed a modern system of drip irrigation, which brings water directly to the roots of each plant, drop by drop. Because very little water is lost, farmers can grow more food with much less water. Today, drip irrigation is used by farmers all over the world.

The second solution was to use the same water twice. Water from homes, after it is cleaned in special plants, is sent to farms to water the fields. Israel recycles nearly ninety percent of its wastewater in this way, far more than any other country. Farmers who once competed with cities for fresh water now have a steady supply of their own.

The third and most dramatic solution came from the sea. Since the early 2000s, Israel has built several large desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast, which remove the salt from sea water. Today, most of the water that comes out of Israeli taps was once in the sea. As a result, a dry winter is no longer the danger that it once was.

However, desalination is not a perfect answer. The plants use a great deal of energy, much of which still comes from burning gas, and they return very salty water to the sea, which can harm plants and animals near the coast. Desalinated water also lacks some minerals, such as magnesium, that are important for health.

Experts therefore say that the most important source of water is still the water we do not use. Fixing old pipes, using water-saving devices at home and choosing garden plants that need little water can save millions of cubic metres every year. In a dry region, technology helps, but careful use remains essential.

Israel is a small country, and more than half of it is desert. For most of its history, water was one of its biggest problems. The country depended on rain, which falls only in winter, and on a few natural sources, such as the Sea of Galilee. At the same time, the population was growing fast, and so was the demand for water. In dry years, there was simply not enough water for farms, factories and homes.

Over the years, Israel developed several solutions. The first was in the fields. In the 1960s, an Israeli engineer, Simcha Blass, developed a modern system of drip irrigation, which brings water directly to the roots of each plant, drop by drop. Because very little water is lost, farmers can grow more food with much less water. Today, drip irrigation is used by farmers all over the world.

The second solution was to use the same water twice. Water from homes, after it is cleaned in special plants, is sent to farms to water the fields. Israel recycles nearly ninety percent of its wastewater in this way, far more than any other country. Farmers who once competed with cities for fresh water now have a steady supply of their own.

The third and most dramatic solution came from the sea. Since the early 2000s, Israel has built several large desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast, which remove the salt from sea water. Today, most of the water that comes out of Israeli taps was once in the sea. As a result, a dry winter is no longer the danger that it once was.

However, desalination is not a perfect answer. The plants use a great deal of energy, much of which still comes from burning gas, and they return very salty water to the sea, which can harm plants and animals near the coast. Desalinated water also lacks some minerals, such as magnesium, that are important for health.

Experts therefore say that the most important source of water is still the water we do not use. Fixing old pipes, using water-saving devices at home and choosing garden plants that need little water can save millions of cubic metres every year. In a dry region, technology helps, but careful use remains essential.

Israel is a small country, and more than half of it is desert. For most of its history, water was one of its biggest problems. The country depended on rain, which falls only in winter, and on a few natural sources, such as the Sea of Galilee. At the same time, the population was growing fast, and so was the demand for water. In dry years, there was simply not enough water for farms, factories and homes.

Over the years, Israel developed several solutions. The first was in the fields. In the 1960s, an Israeli engineer, Simcha Blass, developed a modern system of drip irrigation, which brings water directly to the roots of each plant, drop by drop. Because very little water is lost, farmers can grow more food with much less water. Today, drip irrigation is used by farmers all over the world.

The second solution was to use the same water twice. Water from homes, after it is cleaned in special plants, is sent to farms to water the fields. Israel recycles nearly ninety percent of its wastewater in this way, far more than any other country. Farmers who once competed with cities for fresh water now have a steady supply of their own.

The third and most dramatic solution came from the sea. Since the early 2000s, Israel has built several large desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast, which remove the salt from sea water. Today, most of the water that comes out of Israeli taps was once in the sea. As a result, a dry winter is no longer the danger that it once was.

However, desalination is not a perfect answer. The plants use a great deal of energy, much of which still comes from burning gas, and they return very salty water to the sea, which can harm plants and animals near the coast. Desalinated water also lacks some minerals, such as magnesium, that are important for health.

Experts therefore say that the most important source of water is still the water we do not use. Fixing old pipes, using water-saving devices at home and choosing garden plants that need little water can save millions of cubic metres every year. In a dry region, technology helps, but careful use remains essential.