Sphere No.43 (Oct 2017)

>> SPHERE #43 2017 13 Many innovations originating in the region were unmatched by their Western counterparts for centuries. The battery seems a rather modern invention, accredited to Italian physicist Alessandro Volta at the turn of the 18th century. An alternative narrative suggests that a set of artefacts, commonly dubbed the Baghdad Battery, were able to create the effects of electroplating as early as 250 BC. Other ingenious inventions and discoveries – including algebra, universities, hospitals, coffee, clocks, cameras, a proto-flying machine and even toothbrushes – find their roots in the Arab world. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (circa 600 BC), however, employed that classical knowledge, including advanced water management reminiscent of Hutchison Water Holdings Limited’s grand water solutions for the arid region. The Gardens, with all manner of flowering plants rooted on ascending terraces, showcased the architectural brilliance of ancient Middle East civilisations, inspiring awe in travellers for their lushness in a desert, made possible by innovations in water technology. FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST As the world is increasingly hit by severe droughts, new technologies that can ensure sustainable sources of clean water are urgently needed. Israel has set a high bar for the rest of the world when it comes to bringing innovation to water management. From an arid country constantly facing a dire water crisis, Israel has achieved the impossible feat of producing water in quantities which relieve the agonies of drought and assure an ample supply of fresh water for all residential, industrial and municipal purposes. Formerly, the government monitored the water levels at the Sea of Galilee daily, fearing a need to severely ration distribution of its waters to Israelis. But now, the Sea of Galilee – the largest freshwater lake in Israel and the second lowest lake in the world at 212 metres below sea level (after the Dead Sea saltwater lake, also in Israel) – enjoys predictably safe water levels, made possible by the application of water-saving technologies and management. Hutchison Water and its family member Hutchison Kinrot have played a crucial role in this water revolution. They are modern-day global leaders in bringing clean water and smart water systems to the region and beyond. SOREK DESALINATION PLANT domestic municipal consumption Sea water intake from around 1.15 km offshore on the Mediterranean coast Annual capacity cubic metres Clean water for 1.5 million people 150 million