Israel’s leading position in water technology proves that necessity is the mother of invention. Long before rising global temperatures and populations made water security a worldwide concern, the tiny desert nation of Israel was busy cultivating a fertile water technology ecosystem all its own. Since its founding 70 years ago, Israel’s tenuous water security has made conserving this vital resource a top national priority.

Over the decades, Israeli innovators and entrepreneurs have pioneered cutting-edge drip irrigation, desalination and water treatment technologies. Today, Israel reclaims 80% of its wastewater for agricultural use and is a global leader in crop-yield to water-use efficiency. The majority of its drinking water comes from five world-class desalination plants. Beyond improving water security at home, Israel exports water tech innovation around the globe to the tune of $2 billion annually.

The robust Israeli water technology ecosystem boasts over 150 companies in various sectors and stages of maturity, including:

  • Founded in 2015, Lishtot leverages IoT technology to create a clearer picture of global water quality. The company has developed smart sensors able to quickly screen drinking water for contaminants then aggregate this information into a data-rich map of the world’s drinkable water.
  • Atlantium Technologies Ltd. is an Israeli company founded in 2003, that has since become a global leader in UV treatment solutions for municipal, industrial and ballast water applications. Unlike many competing water treatment systems, Atlantium’s UV light-based solution effectively treats water at industrial scale without the use of harmful chemicals.
  • Founded in 1965, Netafim was an early pioneer of Israeli drip-irrigation technology and has continued to lead the industry with forward-thinking, end-to-end water management solutions. Netafim technology spans sectors from industrial to agricultural and is put to use by customers in 110 countries.

Being home to such a vibrant water technology ecosystem, it only makes sense that Israel plays host to many of the industry’s top conferences. A prime example of which is the upcoming WATEC Israel 2019 conference taking place November 18-21 at Tel Aviv’s David Intercontinental hotel. This year, 2,500 global experts, executives and influencers from 90 countries will gather alongside leading speakers and 80 exhibitors. Attendees will forge productive partnerships and connections, explore new innovations in water technology and outline a bold vision for the industry’s future. Incredibly, the path to global water security leads straight into the desert.