We are especially proud that the “Yarkon River Redemption ” project has been shortlisted for the international Global Water Intelligence awards in the “Municipal Reuse Project of the Year” category. This achievement reflects significant international recognition of Mekorot’s innovation, engineering excellence, and strong environmental commitment. We invite you to learn more about the project and be part of its success – please consider supporting us by voting via this link.
Water reuse – it’s in our nature
The Yarkon River, Israel’s largest river that flows into the Mediterranean Sea, is 27 km long. It crosses the country’s largest and most populated metropolis – seven municipalities with more than three million people and passes through the heart of Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park – Israel’s largest urban park covering 3,500 dunam (875 acres) in north Tel Aviv as far as the river’s mouth at the Mediterranean – the city’s green lung.
For years the Yarkon River has been a water source for agriculture in central Israel, damaging the river’s water balance. The river suffers from the discharge of untreated urban waste and the penetration of salt water from the Mediterranean into the river’s estuary. Collectively, these factors seriously damaged the condition of the river, which has historically been considered an important metropolitan, environmental and national water sector natural asset.
In view of the real threat to the river’s future, we embarked on a national project, to rehabilitate the natural river is the heart of metropolitan Tel Aviv and turn it into a stable river with quality and quantity flow throughout the year. At the same time, we were required to create a sustainable solution for irrigating the Yarkon Park and the green spaces in central Israel, while meeting the region’s agricultural needs.
These objectives resulted in a groundbreaking process to create comprehensive river rehabilitation solions, each customized for the characteristics of the river’s different sections. From east to west, we strengthened the natural flow in its 7-km clean section, improved the water quality in its 16-km polluted section, and built a hydraulic buffer to catch the fresh water before it reaches the salty estuary section in the estuary. We also ended the direct pumping from the river and we only supply water for irrigation and agriculture after it is treated and upgraded to high quality.
For this purpose, we built a new water facility in a wooded area in the heart of Hayarkon Park to treat the river’s water. The facility includes an array of UV membranes to filter and upgrade the water to recycled water quality, a pumping station with seven pumps with a current total capacity of 1,333 cu.m/h that will expand to 2,100 cu.m./h in the future, and 7-8 km of 24” and 36” carrier lines connected to the 5,200-cu.m. storage pool.
Our project treats 10.5 million cubic meters of Yarkon River water a year, stores the recycled water for operational needs and supplies it for irrigation of the Yarkon Park, other urban spaces, and agriculture. We also built another water facility on the banks of one of the Yarkon River’s eastern tributaries to increase the flow of high-quality fresh water in it.
Beyond the engineering and technological solutions, we ensured that the facility harmoniously integrates with the environment. Most of it is underground and its design conforms to the park’s green landscape. We’re also building an ecological visitors center at the site to make accessible environmental, sustainability, and water recycling values.
The water recycling project combines vision, innovation, and environmental commitment. The smart cycle, which uses every drop of water four times – by households, the river, urban parks, and agriculture. This cycle saves precious water sources, rehabilitates ecosystems, and gives new life to the Yarkon River – a historic renewal of primary water source that is an integral part of the landscape, culture, recreation, and tourism of Tel Aviv and its environs.
