2024Water and farming

The State Comptroller reports that Israel reuses more than 80 percent of its treated wastewater for farming.

The report of January 2024 says the next country, Spain, uses about 30 percent, and it also lists gaps in how well the water is treated.

>80%
of effluent used for farm irrigation
SourceState Comptroller
≈30%
share Spain uses, the next country
SourceState Comptroller
592million m³
wastewater treated in plants in 2020
SourceState Comptroller
≈56%
of effluent treated to tertiary level, 2020
SourceState Comptroller

Here is how it happened.

Each year
About 600 million cubic metres of wastewater enter Israel's sewage system.
Treatment plants clean it, and over 80 percent of the cleaned effluent goes on to irrigate farms. Using effluent solves the problem of disposal and helps protect natural water sources.
SourceState Comptroller
2020
Treatment plants handle 592 million cubic metres, about 95 percent of the wastewater produced.
About 56 percent of effluent gets tertiary treatment, the level that allows irrigation without limits on the crop. The Comptroller calls this low compared with developed countries.
SourceState Comptroller
July 2022 to February 2023
The State Comptroller's Office audits Israel's effluent industry.
It examines the scope and quality of treatment, the work of the regulators and how effluent is reused. The audit covers the Water Authority and the ministries of Health and Environmental Protection.
SourceState Comptroller
January 2024
The Comptroller writes that Israel leads the world in using effluent for farm irrigation.
Israel reclaims more than 80 percent of its effluent for agriculture. The next country, Spain, uses about 30 percent.
SourceState Comptroller
In the same report
It finds that 40 of the 87 large plants do not treat effluent to the tertiary level.
These plants supply 185.2 million cubic metres, about 34 percent of the effluent from large plants in 2021. The regulations required tertiary treatment in large plants by 2015.
SourceState Comptroller
Its recommendation
It recommends that the Water Authority plan the expansion and upgrade of every plant.
The plan should set priorities and timetables and be followed in real time. Without expansion, some of about 116,000 housing units planned by 2028 risk having no plant to connect to.
SourceState Comptroller

1 of 6

Here is why it matters.

Treated wastewater, called effluent, gives farms a steady supply of water and spares streams from disposal. The Comptroller says the system still needs better treatment and more capacity.

2013
The Sorek desalination plant reaches full operation.
Read the story
2005
The Ashkelon plant starts turning seawater into drinking water.
Read the story
1965
Netafim is founded on a small Negev kibbutz.
Read the story

Where each fact was read.

Sources read on 1 November 2026.

State Comptroller

The story in numbers.

Here is how it happened.

About 600 million cubic metres of wastewater enter Israel's sewage system.

Treatment plants handle 592 million cubic metres, about 95 percent of the wastewater produced.

The State Comptroller's Office audits Israel's effluent industry.

The Comptroller writes that Israel leads the world in using effluent for farm irrigation.

It finds that 40 of the 87 large plants do not treat effluent to the tertiary level.

It recommends that the Water Authority plan the expansion and upgrade of every plant.

Here is why it matters.

Three more milestones to read next.

The Sorek desalination plant reaches full operation.

The Ashkelon plant starts turning seawater into drinking water.

Netafim is founded on a small Negev kibbutz.

Where each fact was read.