CASE STUDY FROM ISRAEL

SURVEY ON IRRIGATION MODERNIZATION

The Hefer Valley Water Users Association

Prepared by Shaul Manor and Zeev Hagali

December 2002

CONTENTS

1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODERNIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

1.1 Location
1.2 Irrigated area
1.3 Date built
1.4 Water sources
1.5 System type
1.6 Main crops
1.7 Type of infrastructure
1.8 O&M
1.9 Command area
1.10 Land tenure structure
1.11 Date modernized
1.12 Energy source
1.13 Water rights
1.14 Main soils
1.15 Q design
1.16 Others

2 MODERNIZATION PROCESS

2.1 Causes that led to system modernization
2.2 Steps of the modernization process: Who, what, how?
2.3 Organizations/Institutions involved, including users participation
2.4 Implementation of the modernization process
2.5 Actual modernization that took place
2.6 Was any training done prior, during or after modernization? What, how and for whom?
2.7 Financing of the process
2.8 Estimated cost of the process: Total, per unit area
2.9 Was system performance evaluation done prior to modernization?

3 IMPACT OF MODERNIZATION

3.1 Governance
3.2 Water rights, water allocation
3.3 Water service provider
3.4 Water distribution method
3.5 Water service fee structure
3.6 System performance
3.7 Have other systems in the country followed the same process?

4 CONSULTANT'S OWN CONCLUSION AND OR COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 What is your appreciation of the modernization process that took place?
4.2 Do you perceive any major gaps in the process that took place?
4.3 Can the process be replicated elsewhere?
4.4 What lessons can be learned from the modernization process that took place?
4.5 Do you feel there is enough information in order to undertake a more in-depth study on the process?

5 ANNEXES

The Hefer Valley Water Users Association

1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE MODERNIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

1.1  Location

Israel is located in the western part of Asia along the Mediterranean Sea and is on the border between arable and desert zones. The Hefer Valley lies in the coastal plain, in the Northern Sharon region between two large metropolitan zones (Annex I). In the north are Hadera and Caesarea and in the south are Netanya and Northern Sharon. In the past the area was poorly drained and was a swamp. With the arrival of the first Jewish settlers in the 1930's, the swamps were drained and made suitable for farming. Today there is a danger that the swamps will be reestablished due to the rise in the water table and from inappropriate use of the ground water.

The region covers a total area of 13,000 hectares. The total agricultural land of Hefer Valley is 8,000 hectares. The agricultural land of those who participated in the modernization project is 6,500 hectares out of it 4,500 hectares is irrigated land. In 1984 most of it was irrigated with fresh water. Gradually the fresh water was replaced with reclaimed water as part of the modernization process. In 2002, 75% of the land will be irrigated with reclaimed water.

Irrigation systems were introduced in the region 70 years ago and gradually increased every year. The first stage of the process of modernization started in 1984 and the second stage between 1996 and 2001. The third stage will be completed in 2004.

• Water resources in the region are (the actual water supply for irrigation is given in section 2.5.):One ground water source is the Coastal Aquifer. It is a narrow strip along the coast. In the early stage of agricultural development in the region (70 years ago) this was the only source of water through large number of small shallow wells close to each village. Each village has one or more private wells under its responsibility including O&M. Before modernization in 1984 this source supplied 26 million cubic meters per year to those who participated in the modernization. However, this aquifer is in a continuous danger of salinization because of over-pumping which reduces the ground-water level resulting in intrusion of seawater (Annex II). Furthermore, the area above this aquifer is heavily populated with intensive agriculture and industry which all contribute for further contamination of the ground water. Therefore, special attention is given to this aquifer by having strict control on the amount of water to be pumped from each well and also serious steps were taken in order to minimize the contamination from agriculture, industry and the urban area. Recharge of ground water was done for several years with fresh water from the mountain aquifer (section 1.4.2.) to maintain the water level of the aquifer and to avoid further intrusion of seawater.
• Another ground water resource is the Mountain Aquifer (from the Cenomanian-Touronian period). The water from this aquifer is not used directly by the farmers in the region but is pumped by Mekorot, the National Water Company, feeding the National Water Carrier. (The National Water Carrier starts in the north of Israel, pumping 400 million cubic meters per year from the Sea of Gallilee which is 200 meters below sea level, transferring it to the southern part of Israel through a 108” diameter pipe. Along the line there is a network of pipes feeding and being fed. In this region it is being fed by water from the mountain aquifer). This aquifer is of good quality water of about 100 mg chlorides per liter.
• A regional fresh water supply was established in the fifties by Mekorot's National Water System. This is to meet the growing demand for water for agriculture and to avoid further pumping from the coastal aquifer. Before modernization Mekorot supplied around 22 million cubic meters per year. This water is a mixture of water from sea in the north and wells along the line including water from the mountain aquifer (section 1.4.2). The quality of this water is around 250 mg chlorides per liter.
• Reclaimed water for irrigation is supplied from the city of Netanya's and from the Hefer Valley's water treatment plants “Mertz”. The use of reclaimed water for irrigation grew up from one million cubic meters per year to 17 million cm/p today with a target of 20 million cm/p in year 2005.
• Lastly, the Alexander River is a source that collects the runoff from the Samarian Mountains and from the valley's field. Some of this water is collected during the winter in pools alongside the river and is used for irrigation and fish farms.

1.5 System type

No gravity irrigation is practiced. The only system is the pressurized system. Drip irrigation is the dominant system in the region for most crops including orchards, greenhouses, cotton and maize. Mini-sprinklers are used mostly in orchards. Fertigation is an integral part of most systems. In all irrigation systems there are water meters to measure the actual amount used for irrigation. In most cases the operation is controlled and recorded with irrigation computer. There is no difference between moshav and kibbutz (i.e. small and large plots) except for the head control that is designed appropriate to the size of the plot.

In the past citrus was the main crop grown in this region. Because of economical reasons the area was reduced dramatically. There is an attempt to introduce new variety of citrus that is more profitable. The area of avocado plantation is gradually increased and becomes now the dominant orchard crop in the region. Cotton was once the main field crop but now it is not economically suitable anymore and therefore, it is gradually being replaced by other field crops such as corn for forage. All the above crops are suitable for irrigation with reclaimed water and are being gradually shifting from fresh water to reclaimed water. Vegetables and flowers that are grown in the region are irrigated with fresh water only.

Table 1.6.1. Crop irrigation norms (mm)

1.7  Type of infrastructure

Two separate networks of primary and secondary lines for fresh water and reclaimed water are in the Hefer Valley (Annex V). The national water carrier crosses the valley at the south-eastern corner and is connected to the fresh water network lines. The lines are made of steel. The largest diameter is 36”.

Each settlement gets the water supply from one or more outlets at an agreed flow rate, pressure and duration of supply. The amount of water supply is measured at each outlet. From the outlets farmers are responsible for O&M. This refers to the main lines to the field and the irrigation system within the field, i.e. sprinkler, drip, head control including filtration, fertigation, automation etc. The O&M before the outlets is the responsibility of the supplier of water. In the case of fresh water supply the supplier is the Mekorot Water Supply Company while the reclaimed water is supplied by the partnerships between Mekorot and the “ Hefer Valley” association. In those cases where a settlement has its own private well, the settlement is responsible on the O&M from the well, the pumps etc.

See section 1.2 above

The irrigated area covers 26 settlements including two types of settlements: 10 kibbutz's and 16 moshavs. The Kibbutz (a Hebrew word for “communal settlement”) is a unique rural community, a socio-economic system based on the principle of joint ownership of property, equality and cooperation of production, consumption and education. There are small kibbutz's in the region with 100-150 members and 200 ha irrigated land and large kibbutz's with 1200-1500 members and 400-500 ha irrigated land. The Moshav is a cooperative settlement where each member cultivates his own land. The average number of family members in a Moshav is 80-100 with an average of 2.8 ha land for a family member.

Most of the land in the region is under the guardianship of the Israel Land Authority. The farmers rent the land from the Authority for a period of 49 years, which is renewable. The size of the land for a Moshav or a Kibbutz is determined by family unit and cannot be sold, divided or consolidated. There is approximately 5% private land in the region.

The first stage of modernization started in 1984 and the second stage started in 1995 and was completed in 2001. The third stage will be completed in 2004.

1.12 Energy source

Electricity is the only source of energy for operation of the irrigation systems. An intensive network of electricity in the region allows its use in most irrigated areas.

Soon after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the issue of water was assigned top priority. Urgency was seen not only in planning and carrying out projects and securing funds, but also in consolidating a legal framework, that would regulate all the elements pertinent to the matter of water supply. Accordingly, in 1959 the comprehensive Water Law was passed in the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament). The Water Law states that all sources of water in the state are public property, subject to the control of the state and dedicated to the needs of its inhabitants and the development of the country. The term water source covers all internal sources of water, including springs, streams, rivers, lakes and other current accumulation of water, above the ground or underground, including drainage water and sewage. Each person is entitled to obtain water and to use it, subject to the provisions of the Law. The priority of water allocation is first for domestic use and than to commercial, industry and agriculture. Supervision of all matters related to water are managed by the Water Commissioner who is responsible to carry out a comprehensive and balanced policy of water production and supply on the national level. The Water Law prohibits the drilling of wells without a license from the Water Commissioner. It has the power to set the standards for the quantity and quality for those who have the right to receive water. Water pollution is forbidden punishable by fine or imprisonment.

The Law stipulates the basic rules for central control of water charges, and provides for the establishment of a “Water Charges Adjustment Fund” to reduce differences in water charges in various parts of the country. The “Water Metering Law” forbids the supply and abstraction of water without measurement.

Each farmer in the Hefer Valley region, as in other parts of the country, must plan the use of water to be within the amount allocated to him by the Water Commissioner (see 3.2 below). Even if the farmer has his own well he is still not allowed to use water more than his quota. In this case the water meter of the well is recorded and controlled by the staff of the Water Commissioner's Office.

The soil in the western part of the region, close to the sea, is sandy soil including areas of sand dunes. The fertile soil, suitable for most crops, is toward the eastern part of the region, where the soil becomes sandy loam and is clay soil in the far east of the region.

During peak demand of water the system can supply all the demand of 10,000 cubic meters per hour of reclaimed water. After completion of the third stage of the modernization the system can supply 14,000 cubic meters per hour of reclaimed water.

The Q design for the fresh water supply by Mekorot and all the private wells was estimated to be 11,000 cubic meters per hour in 1984, when there was no reclaimed water supply. The demand for fresh water supply for irrigation is gradually being reduced to date to just one third of the potential supply.

Rainfall: a yearly average of 550 mm fall during winter season from the middle of November to the middle of March.

2.  MODERNIZATION PROCESS

2.1  Causes that led to system modernization

There is a growing demand for water by the urban areas because of population growth. The forecast for the future was a dramatic reduction of the available water for irrigation both in terms of quantity and quality. Several leading farmers in the region realized that in order to maintain sustainable irrigated agriculture something should be done urgently to develop a strategy for water resources utilization in the region and to protect ground water against the process of salinization. Furthermore, the population in the region wanted to maintain a good quality of life in an agricultural environment, with high level of education and cultural life, good medical care and high income. In order to achieve this, re-planning of the region took place including the location of industrial, commercial and public areas. Modernization of the irrigation system in the region was an integral part of the overall planning. The main issues which led to modernization of the irrigation system were:

•  Growing demand for water in the urban areas, industry and commercial areas reduce the amount left for irrigation.

•  Sources of water with low water quality limited the kind of crops to be cultivated. Avocado for example is one of the crops grown in the region and is a salt sensitive crop and therefore is limited to water quality of less than 110 mg chloride/liter. For several years a temporary solution was to supply good quality water from the mountain aquifer only one day per week for the irrigation of avocado. Meanwhile, new varieties were developed and now avocado can grow with water quality of 200 mg chloride/liter.

•  A gradual process of contamination of water sources above and under the ground resulting in reduction of the available water supply for agriculture and other users. The causes for contamination are as follows:

•  Excessive use of chemicals in agricultural production such as the use of fertilizers has a significant contribution to contamination of the groundwater along the coastal aquifer. In recent years several wells were closed as a result of such contamination due to a high level of nitrates.

•  Use of low quality water, with respect to salinity level, for irrigation is also contributing to contamination of groundwater. This is the case when irrigating crops such as cotton, which are less sensitive to salinity.

•  Over-pumping along the coast causes intrusion of seawater. This is the main reason why many wells located at a distance of one and a half km from the sea were closed.

•  Raw sewage water from the West Bank contaminates the Shekhem River which enters the region and as a result also contaminates the groundwater

•  Twenty four olive oil factories which are along the river entering the eastern part of the region also contaminating the river and the groundwater

•  The many small septic boreholes within the region for collection of sewage water are also a cause for contamination of groundwater. Only in year 2004 all the septic boreholes will be replaced by a network system of lines that delivered all the sewage water to a treatment plant.

•  There are 8000 cows in the region (normative number). It is assumed that each cow is equal to 13 persons with respect to the contribution to the level of contamination. This means that the dangerous of contamination of the ground water is as if the population is 140,500 people and not the actual population of 30,000 people in the region.

•  Some of the wells along the coast, which supply water to the city of Netanya were closed because of salinization. Furthermore, there is growing demand for water in the city with a population of 185,000. The solution as suggested by the city was to get water through Mekorot, the national water company from the National Water Carrier. This additional amount of water allocated to the city contains 250 mg Chloride/liter. The sewage water of the city will be used for irrigation in the region after reclaiming it. In this case the reclaimed water will contain about 350 mg chloride/liter that cannot be used for most crops in the region and also will contaminate the groundwater and therefore, practically it will be impossible to use it for irrigation. The level of salt in the ground water in the region is determined by the quality of the reclaimed water of the city of Netanya. Therefore, there was a need to look for other solution for supplying good quality water to the city. The solution, as introduced by the association, is to supply water from the mountain aquifer, which is a good quality water, and therefore, the salinity level of the reclaimed water from the city is maintained at a level of 180-200 mg chlorides per liter.

•  The use of the reclaimed water of the region, which is of lower quality compared with that of the city, is limited to part of the year only for irrigation of cotton, which is the only crop in the region that can be irrigated with such low quality water. However, the area of cotton in the region is being gradually reduced and diminishing. The question was what to do with the water during the rest of the year. The association is considering treating this water to a tertiary level through micro filtration and than desalination using reverse osmosis technology to achieve high quality water to a level close to fresh water. This water will be allocated for vegetables and flowers throughout the year.

The first step was in 1984 when an initiative of a few farmers with a vision for the future was the driving force for the process. These farmers were convinced that something was to be done urgently in order to maintain some reasonable level of irrigated agriculture and to avoid contamination of water resources. It was clear that in the future the main source of water for irrigation would be reclaimed water. In this case if poor quality of reclaimed water would be used this would have serious effects on the irrigated crops and the environment. Therefore, the main issue was to ensure good quality of reclaimed water in the future. The objective of the proposed project was to exchange water with the city of Netanya – insisting that the city will get good quality of fresh water from the mountain aquifer and not low quality from Mekorot - in order to get better quality of reclaimed water from the city for irrigation. It was not an easy task at that time to convince the farmers in the region nor the government on this matter, as there was sufficient fresh water for irrigation at a low cost of 6 cents per cubic meter.

This group of farmers succeeded to share their awareness with the farmers in the region through meetings where they demonstrated in figures what would happen in the future if no steps are taken. Finally farmers were convinced how serious the situation was and agreed to go ahead with the program in spite of the fact that they would have in the future more expensive water and reclaimed water instead of fresh water. The farmers in the region got organized and formed “Afikey Emek Hefer” Agricultural Association Inc. At this stage there was an objection to this program by the government as well as by Mekorot Water Company as they considered it not economically sound and not necessary. The association had to proceed independently without external support. Most of the farmers in the region joined the new association by paying fees on the basis of $100 for each 1000 cubic meter of reclaimed water that they are entitled to have every year. A total amount of half a million US dollars was collected which was the basis for the preparation of the detailed plan of the project. Farmers had to take a decision in 1984, almost ten years before completion of the project, where exactly will be the plot to be irrigated with reclaimed water and what would be the required flow rate as a basis for the planning. Only after one year of independent work, Mekorot Water Company agreed to join the program and to take an active part in the management and O&M of the proposed system. Only at a later stage the government recognized the importance of the project and agreed to support it.

The Afikey Emek Hefer Association is an agricultural cooperative, which brings together member farms in the Hefer Valley. Membership in the association is voluntary. It was established in 1984 and is based now on 26 member settlements of kibbutz's and Moshavs. The association is an independent unit and represents the Hefer Valley Regional Council in water and sewage issues, and is in charge of maintaining water sources in the valley, so that they can be efficiently used and developed. The association undertakes operations to ensure water supply sources for all valley users in terms of research, physical maintenance, economics and legal issues. The general objective of the association is to ensure a sustainable water supply of good quality in the region.

The project is jointly owned and managed by the Afikey Emek Hefer Association and by the Mekorot National Water Supply Company. The Mekorot Water Company is a public utility, which has developed Israel's water supply systems on a nationwide scale since 1937, and today supplies 65% of the country's water needs. The role of Mekorot in the project is to operate and maintain the system. The partnership is that the expenditures and the investments are jointly shared by the association and by Mekorot. Once a year they approach the government to determine the level of support they are entitled to get as a subsidy. The advantages of having Mekorot Company as a partner are that Mekorot is actually operating the sewage treatment plant and that it has all the logistics and the staff for O&M.

The organizational structure is given in Annex III. The following is a description of the role of each committee:

Assembly (representatives of agricultural settlements): At least once a year there is a general meeting of all the representatives of each of the 26 member settlements in order to elect the committees of the association: the management committee (11 members including the chairman, representing all types of settlements), chairman, control committee and members committee. An annual report is presented on the activities of the association including: balance sheet, expenditures, investment and also the approval of a strategic plan.

Management of the Association: Participating: the chairman, director of the association, the management committee. Meeting every two months to discuss management policy of the association and on ongoing issues. An Active Management team of three members: chairman, associations' director and a member representing the management committee, meets as necessary.

Joint Management: Participating from Mekorot: DG, chief engineer, financial controller, the manager and the engineer of the Central District Division. From Afikey Emek Hefer: the Active Management. Both parties can invite more representatives and advisors. Meeting is once a year to set up general policy and to discuss strategic issues related to investments and development. Decision is made by agreement of all parties, not by vote.

Joint Operational Management: Participating: The directors of the association and the central district division of Mekorot who are in constant interaction. Joining them the chairman of the association and Mekorots' chief engineer to meet at least every two months to manage ongoing operation. They get information on the operation of the system in the field and are making decision as necessary. There is a direct two ways contact with the operator, the technical team, the advisors and the professional services team. The consumers can approach, on matters of water supply, the director of the association and his deputy, who is handling all the applications for request for water.

Technical Committee: Participating: all members of the joint operational management committee and in addition from Mekorot: the chief engineer, directors of the technical units in the district and the technician who operates the system. From the association: the DG, the chairman and the person in charge on the water supply. Also the engineer, from the private firm that made the planning of the project is invited along with other advisors as necessary. Meeting 2-3 times a year. The committee monitors the quality of water, demand and supply of water, operational and technological problems including efficiency of pumps, filters, maintenance of lines and reservoirs and communication. Also analyzing technical faults, suggesting solutions and how to improve the efficiency of the system. In addition there are also preparations of plans for future capital investments to improve and extend the system.

Advisors: Government, Mekorot, Private: They are invited, when it is necessary, to attend meetings of the technical committee to advise on a specific topic. They are also giving advice during the year directly to the joint operational management and those involved directly with the operation. The arrangement with them is either based on calls or on a specific activity.

Professional Services: Routine on-going monitoring of the quality of the reclaimed water at the outlet of the treatment plant and in the reservoirs is conducted by the three Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Environment each is monitoring different parameters. The regional control center of Mekorot, that is located 20 km from the Hefer Valley, give service to the partnership between Mekorot and the association. The service includes a real time automatic control of the operation of the pumps, the water level of the reservoirs, the pressure and the flow rate of the system and the quality of the water. The Irrigation and Soil Field Service of the Extension Service is testing the soil and water during the irrigation season in order to give recommendation to the farmers how much fertilizer to apply, if at all.

Operation and Maintenance: One technician is in charge on the management of the ongoing operation of the system. He is getting instructions from the joint operational management, gives them feedback from the field and suggests solutions when problems arise in water supply. He is in direct contact with the consumers. He is getting technical support from all the technicians and engineers of Mekorot in the Central District Division.

Central District Division: All the administrative matters are handled at this division including the registration of consumers, collection of water charge and reporting. All of the technical team of the division is available in short notice to help and solve problems as it comes in the operation of the system.

2.4 Implementation of the modernization process

A daily average quantity of 37,000 cubic meters sewage from the city of Netanya flows to the treatment plant. The city of Natanya has a water treatment plant, contracted as BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), to reclaim the sewage water of the city to an improved secondary level quality and supply it free of charge to Afikey Emek Hefer Association. In return the Regional Council allows the city to use its land for the water treatment plant. The treatment plant of the city also treats about 30% of the sewage of Hefer Valley region, which is close to the city. It was agreed that the city will charge the Emek Hefer Regional Council (not the association) for treating the sewage water 1.5 NIS (35.4 cents) for every cubic meter of sewage. The remaining sewage water is treated in the region separately in “Meretz” plant through the Emek Hefer Regional Council. The cities and the regional councils are responsible to treat the sewage water of their municipalities. The issue of the support that they may get from the government is not the concern of the association. The partnership gets the reclaimed water free of charge at the outlet of the treatment plant. Farmers have to pay for the reclaimed water to the partnership. In 1994 the city implemented a new treatment plant that can treat 40,000 cubic meters per day improved quality of reclaimed water at a secondary level.

The partnership between the association and Mekorot is responsible for the operation and management of the reclaimed water that flow out from the outlet of the treatment with respect to the quantity, quality and pressure. The partnership built a pump station at the outlet of the treatment plant and a reservoir for 0.1 million cubic meters, which is the Western Reservoir (Annex IV and V). The pump station, operates 24 hours a day, and includes four pumps of flow rates of 250, 350, 450 and 450 cubic meters per hour. The flow rate from the outlet is regulated by the number of pumps under operation and by a convector. In order to ensure a pressure head of 40 meters at each consumer outlet during the irrigation season, the pressure head at the outlet of the treatment plant should be 85 meters with a flow rate of 1400 cubic meters per hour. During periods when there is no demand of water for irrigation the flow rate can be up to 2500 cubic meters per hour to fill up the reservoirs.

A network of main lines and sub-mains 40 km long was implemented by the partnership to supply the reclaimed water to the consumers. Before leaving the treatment plant the reclaimed water is filtered (80 mesh filter) and is chlorinated continuously. Along the lines there are outlets to deliver the water to the consumers. From the outlets each consumer is responsible to deliver the water to irrigate his own field. During the years 1984-1986 the reclaimed water was delivered directly to the consumers during the irrigation season. When there was low demand or no demand the water was delivered to the sea.

In 1986 the southern reservoir was built with a capacity of 3.0 million cubic meters as storage of water for the irrigation season. This allows the use of all the reclaimed water for irrigation. The pump station includes four pumps of 1500, 1500, 900 and 200-900 cubic meters per hour. In 1995 the system was utilized at a maximum level of 7 million cubic meters per year.

The second stage started in 1996 in order to be able to utilize all the additional amount of reclaimed water for irrigation. The partnership built the northern reservoir with a capacity of 4 million cubic meters and additional network of main lines and sub-mains of 37 km long with additional outlets for the consumers. The pump station includes four pumps of 1400 cubic meters per hour each. Also one small operational reservoir Bahan was built. This was completed by 1999. The volume of reclaimed water for irrigation was increased to 17 million cubic meters per year including the reclaimed water from Meretz treatment plant.

The third stage is now under construction and will be completed by 2004. The eastern reservoir with a capacity of 5 million cubic meters was built in order to get the reclaimed water from the cities of Shekhem and Tul Karem from the West Bank.

In the region there is a sewage treatment plant, Meretz plant, for reclaiming 2 million cubic meters, which is 70% of the sewage of the Emek Hefer region. Near the treatment plant there is a reservoir with a capacity of 0.36 million cubic meters. This is managed and operated through the Emek Hefer Regional Council independently without partnership with Mekorot. The remaining 30% is treated in the treatment plant of the city of Netanya.

There are 180 consumer outlets along the lines. The flow rate from the outlets is ranging from a minimum of 50 to a maximum of 600 cubic meters of reclaimed water from one consumer outlet. At the request of the consumers the partnership installed the appropriate size of the outlet unit based on the expected flow rate. At each outlet there is a pressure regulator, a water meter and two valves on both sides of the water meter. The consumers are charged for the water based on the amount recorded at this point. From the second valve onward to the irrigated field, all are the farmer's property and is managed by the farmer. In all cases farmers have at this point a filtration system to filter the water to a level that is appropriate for the system of irrigation used. In addition farmers will install all what is required to irrigate their field such as fertigation unit and automation.

Table 2.4.1 . Pumping stations and reservoirs as part of the modernization process

Table 2.4.2. Pipes network in the project (Kilometers)

2.5 Actual modernization that took place

The treatment plant of the city of Netanya deliver an average of 35,000 cubic meters of reclaimed water every day to an operational reservoir, the western reservoir, of a capacity of 100,000 cubic meters.

Gradually farmers exchanged their fresh water quota with reclaimed water, but they still must keep a minimum level of fresh water:

•  300,000 m³ for the kibbutz

•  500,000 m³ for the moshav

The reason is to ensure sufficient water for livestock, domestic use and for the option to grow vegetables. The network of the reclaimed water system is isolated from the fresh water system. The lines and the valves are marked in red to warn people not to drink this water. The fresh water network is marked in blue.

Each outlet is designed for a specific flow rate as requested by the farmers at the planning stage of the system. The farmers select the flow rate based on the size of the field to be irrigated, the crop and the type of irrigation system. At the beginning of each irrigation season each consumer applies to the association indicating the quantity of water, the flow rate (not more than flow rate as designed for his outlet) and the period of irrigation during the day and the month. Every farmer also has to get an approval every year from the Ministry of Health for the crops he is planning to irrigate with reclaimed water. The supply network system is designed to supply water simultaneously to all the outlets.

Table 2.5.1 Stages of the implementation from 1984 to 2002. The reclaimed water is from Netanya and Hefer Valley region

2.6 Was any training done prior, during or after modernization? What, how and for whom?

Apart from the regular training conducted by the extension service on various topics there was no specific training. However, there were several meetings among the representatives of the kibbutz's and the moshav's with the participation of leading farmers to discuss various possible options how to ensure sustainable irrigated agriculture and to protect the environment. Professionals from the academy and the government were invited to suggest ideas and solutions. Practically, it was not difficult to convince the farmers about the seriousness of the situation as it was obvious that when water is in short supply then the priority will be to supply water to the city and as a result to reduce the amount for agriculture.

The first step of financing was done directly by the farmers. $500,000 was collected through fee collection of $100 per 1000 cubic meters of reclaimed water. Only after one year of preparation of the detailed plan the banks agreed to give a loan of $700,000. Therefore, a total amount of 1.2 million dollars was the initial investment in the project. Through a subsidy the government supported the project as indicated below in sections 2.8. and 3.5. Farmers also received 40% financial support from the government to cover the cost for adapting the irrigation network for irrigation with reclaimed water, including the cost of the consumer outlet and the cost of changing the pipes diameter.

The reclaimed water is supplied to the partnership free of charge at the outlet of the treatment plant. The initial investment of the partnership (adjusted to June 2002 values: $1=4.8 NIS) including lines, pump stations and reservoirs for delivering the reclaimed water from the outlet of the treatment plant to the consumers outlet is:

First stage: 67 million NIS

Second stage: 77 million NIS

Additional expenses: 10 million NIS

Total 154 million NIS ($32 million, $ 6,400/ha, considering the potential irrigated area : 5,000 ha)

The cost of supplying one cubic meter of reclaimed water from the outlet of the treatment plant to the farmer's field is 1.03 NIS (21 US cents), but farmers pay only 0.56 NIS (12 cents) as is described later in section 3.5.

No

3.  IMPACT OF MODERNIZATION

3.1  Governance

The day-to-day operation of the system is done by Mekorot while the management is done by the association. The farmers/consumers are actively participating through Afikey Emek Hefer Association in all the issues and decisions related to water supply and quality of the water during the season. Without a doubt the association had a significant role with excellent achievements in the introduction of changes and improvement of all issues related to water in the region. Based on the experience in recent years the management of the Association decided to cover more issues in the region. In order to be more efficient the management decided to establish four independent but related associations, each to concentrate on specific issues. The four associations are:

•  Afikey Emek Hefer : The original association that will continue to concentrate on the main objective of the supply of reclaimed water for agricultural use in the region. In addition the association is also responsible to protect the Alexander River from contamination and to establish a training and demonstration center for water reclamation and its appropriate use for agriculture and environmental protection.

•  Agamei Hefer ; A sister association with the main objective to improve the quality of marginal water to a quality level to be suitable for irrigation of unlimited crops. This is done by upgrading the treatment level of the reclaimed water and also introducing the advanced technology of desalination based on reverse osmosis for utilization of the poor quality water in the region. The role of the association is also to control the protection of the coastal aquifer form contamination.

•  Atudot Emek Hefer ; Its role is mostly is to encourage the extension of the area of orchard in order to have more potential areas for irrigation with reclaimed water

•  Hefer Ecology ; Its role to concentrate on environmental protection and to identify economical options in the region.

Historically, when the kibbutz and the moshav were established it was designed so that each family farm will have a defined size of irrigated land. The size of the land was determined based on factors such as the type of farming and the climatic conditions of the region. In Hefer Valley each family farm has 2.8 hectares of irrigated land. In the kibbutz as a communal settlement the total area is a product of the number of families and 2.8 hectares. At that time it was decided that each hectare has a water right of 5000 cubic meters per year. Therefore each family farm has water rights of 14,000 cubic meters of water per year. This is the basis for water allocation. Farmers cannot get more than their water rights but may get less if there is not enough water.

From 1989 the government reduced gradually the allocation of water for agriculture in order to meet the growing demand for water for domestic use. In recent years, because of several drought years, there was a serious cut in water allocation for agriculture. The government encouraged farmers to shift to reclaimed water. For every cubic meter of fresh water that the farmer trades for a quota of reclaimed water, he receives a yearly supplement of 20% in reclaimed water for agricultural use.

•  An irrigation and soil field service specialist who is part of the Extension Service of the Ministry of Agriculture is working closely with the farmers. Based on routine analyses of the nutritional level of the reclaimed water, which take place at least once a month, he is giving recommendations to the farmers on the reduced level of fertilizer application needed if at all. As part of a national survey that is monitoring the use of reclaimed water, he is testing the water, the soil and the crop response to irrigation with reclaimed water. He is available to give advice to individual farmers upon request.

•  The Ministry of Health is conducting a routine analysis of the treated water to control its quality. Farmers must get an approval from the Ministry of Health every year, before the irrigation season, for the crops they plan to irrigate with reclaimed water and the method of irrigation.

•  The control center of Mekorot, that serves the central part of Israel, gives services to the partnership to operate and manage the system. Also all the technical units of Mekorot are available to give a technical support as required.

Every consumer (farmer) receives reclaimed water at the head of his field, which has been filtered and pressure regulated, adapted to his irrigation system. The system is designed to conform consumption at levels ranging from 50 cubic meters per hour to 600 cubic meters per hour. The construction of reservoirs for the utilization of reclaimed water permit a better regulation and flexibility of water supply and storage of excess water during the winter. Also it allows meeting the requirement for water during the period of peak demands in the summer as well as the fluctuation of water demand from hour to hour and from day to day. The farmers in the region can get all the water allocated to them.

The entire system is automated and regulated 24 hours a day. A technician from Mekorot is assigned to ensure a proper operation of the system. In case of problems in the system he gets an alarm signal to his mobile phone or directly from the consumer. Most consumers can get information in real time on the operation of their own irrigation system and in case of problems they also get an alarm signal through their mobile phones. The regional control center of Mekorot supervises the pumps, electrical consumption and water quality in the reservoirs. The center operates the pumps from various sources according to user requirements based on parameters of energy consumption per cubic meter. No technical difficulty or change goes unnoticed. Therefore, due to the integrated management of the various water sources, even if a problem arises at one source, most farmers are assured an uninterrupted supply of water.

The government gives support as a subsidy of the initial capital investment provided the project is approved by the “Investment Committee” composed of representatives of the ministries of Agriculture, Treasury, Health, Environment and representatives of the Water Authority. The committee evaluates the proposed project based on technical, economic and managerial criteria. The cost difference between the production price and the price at which the reclaimed water is sold is covered by a governmental subsidy.

The cost of supplying one cubic meter of reclaimed water from the outlet of the treatment plant to the farmer field is 1.03 NIS (21 US cents). This includes:

70% capital recovery cost and

30% operational cost.

Operational cost includes:

35% for maintenance of lines, reservoirs and pump stations

40% for energy

25% for operation and management

According to the law farmers should pay a maximum of 0.56 NIS (12 cents) for one cubic meter of reclaimed water (this value is fixed by the government, but may be updated). The balance is paid every year by the government to the partnership as a subsidy. The payment is based on the actual number of cubic meters of reclaimed water used by the farmers.

The cost of fresh agricultural water is set by the government from time to time. In order to encourage farmers not to use all the amount of fresh water that they are entitled to use for irrigation they pay for the fresh water as follow:

0.89 NIS (18 cents) for every cubic meter of the first 50% of his entitlement

1.08 NIS (22 cents) “ “ “ “ “ “ next 30% “ “ “

1.44 NIS (30 cents) “ “ “ “ “ “ last 20% “ “ “

Farmers in the Hefer region had already reclaimed water available as a result of modernization and therefore, could have the advantage of getting more water for irrigation.

The association encouraged the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and several other institutions and organizations, which are related to water and irrigation, to jointly conduct a special study in the region on the “Adaptation of Irrigation Equipment for use of Reclaimed Water”. The objective of this research was to lower the technical difficulties and hazards of blockages in the irrigation systems which used reclaimed water. The study included a system that monitors filters, drippers, micro-sprinklers and micro-sprayers. Also an advanced system that regulates water quality and identifies those factors which cause blockages.

Agricultural research and experiments were conducted in the region to study the appropriate irrigation regime when using reclaimed water and its effect on the quantity and quality of the crops yield. This research was done in conjunction with the agricultural research organization and other institutions.

A direct benefit to the farmers is that by using reclaimed water they get 20% more water for irrigation. Furthermore, the reclaimed water contains plant nutrients, which could save at least part of the amount of fertilizer application. In most crops drip irrigation is used when irrigation is with reclaimed water. Farmer's estimation is that they are having a yield increase of 10% in corn for forage and 30% in avocado. The need for fertilizer application in avocado is now limited. Small and frequent irrigation application of drip irrigation is given to avocado.

There is no similar such regional project where the initiative come from the farmers who developed partnership with the government system on the capital investment, operation and joint management of the project.

4.  CONSULTANT'S OWN CONCLUSION AND OR COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1  What is your appreciation of the modernization process that took place?

This is an excellent example how farmers played a significant role in the introduction of changes in the region, in spite of the lack of understanding and support of the government in the early stages of the planning. Just few people in the region with a vision for the future, who were prepared to commit themselves for at least 18 years to be involved and lead the process of change was the key factor for success. It is important to note that the concern of these people started in 1984 at a time where there were no serious problems with respect to water supply, when the cost of fresh water was only 6 cents per cubic meter. The farmers' development of awareness that some steps must be taken in order to maintain a reasonable level of irrigated agriculture in the future along with developing a special organizational structure with active farmers participation including financing, were the bases for the program. The farmers insisted to go ahead with the program and as a result, only in a later stage the government and the National Water Company were convinced of the necessity of it to give financial support through loans. Farmers who live in the region are the best to identify future problems ahead of time and to be the driving force to stimulate activities to improve the situation. Today it is clear that without the steps taken in time it was not possible to continue to maintain the irrigated areas, to protect water resources and the environment.

It was assumed an average daily flow rate of sewage water from the city of Netanya of 14,500 cubic meters and therefore, the project was designed accordingly. Due to unexpected high population growth of the city the daily flow rate of the sewage was doubled and therefore, the project was extended with higher cost of investment relatively to the case when if this was considered in the original plan. This cost is included as part of the “additional expenses” in section 2.8 above. As a result of the extension of the project more fresh water was replaced by reclaimed water, which is less expensive.

Unexpected rapid development of algae in the reclaimed water in the reservoirs and in the lines caused serious filtration problems.

New and advanced technology of more efficient filtration systems was developed in recent years. The replacement of the existing old system was costly.

Maintaining a good quality of reclaimed water stored in the reservoirs for a long time for the next irrigation season was a difficult task. The nutrients in the reclaimed water cause a rapid development of all kind of phytoplankton such as algae and zooplankton, which cause serious problem of filtration in the water. A special kind of fish was introduced into the reservoirs in order to reduce the development of these organisms. In extreme cases when this is not enough, spraying the water in the reservoirs is practiced.

Today the government and others are convinced that the process in this region was a must. There are at least 10 regions where similar programs can be developed. The Hefer Valley region, based on its experience, is now giving advice to the other regions to help them to go through the program with minimum mistakes.

•  In order to be able to implement development programs the association must identify, based on the type of the development, the appropriate companies or financial agencies who are willing to join the program as partners.

•  It is important to ensure during the process of the implementation of the project to include an appropriate support services system that must be considered as an integral part of the development project. Such support services systems include technical support for the operation and maintenance of the project and also professional advise through the extension service and others in order to utilize the water for irrigation in the most efficient way. Such advice includes also the selection of the appropriate irrigation system and recommendation of irrigation regime for every case.

•  A central operational control system that can modify/correct the operational program base on information from the field is important to be included in the project. High degree of efficiency of operation will ensure the best return for the investments.

•  An efficient association can function when all the members of the association have a direct and common interest in the proposed project and may have more or less equal level of benefit. Those who may have just a limited benefit from the project as compared with the other members, may get the benefits through a special arrangement with the association and it is preferable not as full members.

•  When the association includes also farmers who are professional in areas related to the proposed project and are familiars with all the professional and organizational issues, more attention will be given to the farmers' needs in the process of planning and implementation.

There is enough information that was accumulated throughout the years in order to undertake an in-depth study in areas such as:

•  The organizational aspect – the process of building it up, the actual role of farmers participation, problems that arise during the process and kind of solutions.

•  The management aspect of the operation and management, type of technical and human difficulties including farmers' complains.

•  Support service systems.

Annex I . The location of Hefer Valley region in Israel.

Annex II. Cross section of the coastal aquifer showing seawater intrusion.

Annex III. The organizational structure

Annex IV. A map of Heffer Valley

Annex V. An aerial photograph of Hefer Valley. Reclaimed water lines are marked in red. Fresh water lines are marked in Blue.