{"id":3066,"date":"2020-08-17T07:54:31","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T07:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/?p=3066"},"modified":"2020-08-17T08:07:09","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T08:07:09","slug":"the-environmental-tariff-of-drinking-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/en\/health-nutrition\/the-environmental-tariff-of-drinking-water\/","title":{"rendered":"The Environmental Tariff of Drinking Water"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Environmental Tariff of Drinking Water\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/no4dFF2OHqw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Israeli\nwater infrastructure has recently made headlines after two water facilities in\nthe Upper Galilee, and the Judean headquarters fell victim to a cyberattack.\nThe attacks followed a more extensive cyberattack on the water supply system\nlast April, which was attributed to Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even in\ntimes without attacks, water scarcity is among the hot topics in Israel, and\nenormous efforts are being made to provide enough water to the country&#8217;s\nresidents, despite the limited natural resources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the essential function of the Israeli water system has a price\nthat the natural world has to pay. A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s11367-020-01753-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new\nstudy<\/a>&nbsp;examined\nall the environmental damages caused by the various processes of the drinking\nwater supply system in Israel and found that its ecological footprint is\nnothing short of significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study,\npublished in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, was conducted\nin the laboratory of Dr. Vered Blass, a faculty member at the Porter School of\nEnvironmental and Earth Sciences at Tel Aviv University, as part of Dr. Noa Miron\u2019s\n(Stern) doctoral dissertation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nresearchers conducted a first-of-its-kind life cycle analysis of the Israeli\ndrinking water supply system &#8211; that is, an assessment of the system&#8217;s\nenvironmental effects along its entire length, which also included the various\nsources of drinking water in Israel. In 2015, for instance, one of the years\nexamined in the study, 49 percent of the drinking water in Israel came from\ngroundwater aquifers, 36 percent was desalinated water, and 15 percent were\npumped from surface reservoirs (such as the Sea of Galilee).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every mechanism in the system was examined, from the pumping, the production, and the transportation of the water, to the use of chemicals, as well as the effect of the materials that make up its infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/adam-jang-Molhe1qQRWI-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Water scarcity is among the hot topics in Israel, and enormous efforts are being made to provide enough water to the country&#8217;s residents, despite the limited natural resources Photo by Adam Jang on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>250 ml\nof water = 270 grams of waste<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the study&#8217;s findings, the volume of greenhouse gases released during the operation of the Israeli drinking water supply system in 2015 was 2.3 kilograms per cubic meter of water (with greenhouse gases such as methane normalized as CO2 equivalence &#8211; equivalent to the effect of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For\ncomparison, this amount is similar to the amount of greenhouse gases released\nduring a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/greenvehicles\/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle\">9-kilometer car ride<\/a>, or in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/green-living-blog\/2010\/nov\/25\/carbon-footprint-load-laundry\">four wash cycles<\/a> at a temperature of 30 degrees\nCelsius. This figure is lower than the amount released in countries such as\nItaly (which stands at 3.4 kilograms per cubic meter of water) and the United\nStates (2.5 kilograms), but also higher than the values in many other places\nwhere seawater desalination is not used, such as Romania (1.0 kilogram), Canada\n(0.2 Kg), or Switzerland (0.2 kg).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the researchers found that every glass of 250 ml of water produces 270 grams of waste throughout the system&#8217;s life cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shai-pal-CFdVch_d4bo-unsplash-2-2048x1364.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>The volume of greenhouse gases released during the operation of the Israeli drinking water supply system in 2015 was 2.3 kilograms per cubic meter of water Photo by Shai Pal on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The\nprice of desalination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two\nprocesses that cause the greatest environmental damage in the Israeli drinking\nwater supply system are the desalination of water and its distribution to the consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto the study, in 2015, desalination was responsible for 55 percent of the\ncarbon footprint (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the\naggravation of the climate crisis) of the system. This is because, in reverse\nosmosis, the main stage in the desalination process, the water is forced\nthrough a membrane at very high pressure (70-65 times the atmospheric pressure\nprevailing on Earth) that allows only water to pass and leaves the salts\nbehind. The generation of this pressure requires enormous amounts of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the\nyears examined in the study, there was a significant increase in the share of\ndesalinated water out of all drinking water in Israel: from 22 percent in 2011\nto 36 percent in 2015. However, the volume of greenhouse gases emitted as a\nresult of desalination has increased only slightly in those years, from 2.2\nkilograms of carbon dioxide per cubic meter of water to 2.3 kilograms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason\nfor that is a decrease in the use of highly polluting fuel oil, and the\nincrease of natural gas instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Although\nwe increased the percentage of desalination from 2012 to 2015, our energy has\nbecome cleaner, so the total greenhouse gas emissions per cubic meter of water\nhave not changed substantially, and even decreased slightly,&#8221; says Blass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto the study findings, it will be possible to further reduce the environmental\nimpacts of desalination if it starts relying more extensively on renewable\nenergies (such as solar energy) instead of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study has also found that if renewable energies would fully power reverse osmosis desalination systems, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions fell considerably \u2013 from 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide per cubic meter of water to 0.3 kilograms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7654729568_80af2e1c3a_o-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7654729568_80af2e1c3a_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7654729568_80af2e1c3a_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7654729568_80af2e1c3a_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/7654729568_80af2e1c3a_o.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>According to the study, in 2015, desalination was responsible for 55 percent of the carbon footprint (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the aggravation of the climate crisis) of the system. Photo by U.S. Embassy Israel on Flickr.<\/em><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Greenhouse\ngases in pipes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the\nstudy, the scientists have established that long-distance flow of water through\nlarge-diameter pipes and the help of large pumping stations is what causes 27\npercent of the system&#8217;s carbon footprint. Short-term water flow through\nsmall-diameter pipes, which occurs within cities, is responsible for an\nadditional 15 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The volume\nof greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the various stages of water distribution\nin the years tested was 1.2-1 kilograms of carbon dioxide per cubic meter of\nwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally,\nwater distribution contributes to the ecological footprint of the system\nindirectly. The production of iron, for example, which some of the pipes are\nmade of, also causes environmental damage. Another significant impact results\nfrom pipe leaks, which alone are responsible for 20-25 percent of the carbon\nfootprint of the drinking water supply system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Blass, renewable energies could greatly reduce the environmental impact of the water transmission phase. &#8220;Large water pumping stations and local pumps use huge amounts of energy, and their environmental impact will depend very much on the type of energy with which they are generated,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/samuel-sianipar-scUBcasSvbE-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Significant environmental impacts also result from pipe leaks, which alone are responsible for 20-25 percent of the carbon footprint of the drinking water supply system as well as the production of iron, which some of the pipes are made of. Photo by Samuel  Sianipar on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Water in\nbig industry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Research\nis a fundamental planning tool for the water sector, enabling us to find ways\nto streamline and reduce the various environmental impacts of the system and\nunderstand our situation compared to other countries,&#8221; says Blass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto her, the data can also be used by various commercial companies that use\ndrinking water as part of their activities and products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Until\nnow, when companies like Coca-Cola, for example, conducted analyzes of the\nenvironmental impact of the production of their products, they may have used\ndata from another country or some global data &#8211; and in many cases, this data is\nvery different from our local data. Now, there is the possibility to use data\nthat is adapted to the situation in Israel.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Blass\nemphasizes that the study&#8217;s findings illustrate the importance of cooperation\nbetween the various government ministries regarding the water economy since\nmany decisions on that subject pertain to different areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This\nincludes, for instance, any decision relating to desalination that affects the\nenergy economy, the issue of water for agriculture or the issue of water for\nindustry,&#8221; she says. &#8220;One can see the connection between these\ndifferent areas only when one adopts a life cycle vision,&#8221; she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto Blass, the new study clarifies that the well-known water shortage in Israel\nis far from being the only environmental challenge of the local water economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Even without regard to scarcity, the water economy has a significant environmental impact, and should be reduced in the most optimal way,&#8221; she concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This ZAVIT article was also published in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jpost.com\/health-science\/the-environmental-tariff-of-drinking-water-637947\">The Jerusalem Post&nbsp;<\/a>on 08\/09\/2020.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Israeli water infrastructure has recently made headlines after two water facilities in the Upper Galilee, and the Judean headquarters fell &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,11,9],"tags":[],"acf":[],"post-meta-fields":{"_edit_lock":["1597651499:11"],"_edit_last":["11"],"subtitle":["A new Israeli study examined the environmental and climatic effects of the country's drinking water, from its starting point, through pipelines and desalination plants, all the way to the end consumer"],"_subtitle":["field_59d3d36ea7fe1"],"_wpml_media_duplicate":["1"],"_wpml_media_featured":["1"],"_oembed_a44f642b17f0fe8339936689fc50f91d":["<iframe title=\"The Environmental Tariff of Drinking Water\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/no4dFF2OHqw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>"],"_oembed_time_a44f642b17f0fe8339936689fc50f91d":["1597650872"],"_thumbnail_id":["3097"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3066"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3066"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3096,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3066\/revisions\/3096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}