Mekorot performs high standard water quality testing and analyses designed to meet Israeli Ministry of Health and international requirements. Mekorot's tests performed in the field and laboratory, continuously evaluate Israel’s water supply for concentrations of chemicals,
bacteria and other substances.
Mekorot’s extensive water testing program is carried out under the supervision of Israel’s Ministry of Health and the Israel Laboratory Accreditation Authority to ensure that its
laboratories’ activities comply with rigorous health regulations and ISO/IEC 17025
laboratory standards.
Advanced Laboratories
Mekorot maintains a network of quality analytical laboratories. The Central Laboratory
is located at Beit Netofa, 15 kilometers northwest of the city of Nazareth. Satellite
laboratories operate in Rosh Ha’ayin, Ashkelon, Eilat, Atar Sapir adjacent to the Sea of
Galilee, as well as the large wastewater treatment plant at Shafdan.
The Company performs tests that evaluate water and wastewater according to approximately 200 chemical and physical parameters to determine the presence of a large variety of inorganic, organic, bacteriological and microscopic substances.
Mekorot’s testing equipment is among the most modern and advanced in the world. Some of the equipment is managed automatically by state-of-the-art, internally-developed software, which performs continuous logical control of test results to increase the reliability.
Comprehensive Tests and Studies
- A comprehensive battery of chemical tests to insure public health is performed on water from all sources to determine the presence of any of over 200 restricted substances such as heavy metals, organic pollutants or pesticides.
- Microbiological tests are conducted to verify the absence of coliform and other bacteria that would otherwise indicate contamination by sewage in the water system. The laboratory also monitors the presence of parasites (Giardia sp. and Cryptosporidium sp.) in raw water.
- Wide-ranging studies are performed on a regular basis in order to resolve water quality problems that may occasionally arise and to introduce new technologies for laboratory and field testing.
Mekorot’s Beit Netofa
Central Laboratory
Mekorot’s central laboratory is located at Beit Netofa. Scientists and technicians at the lab integrate testing activities with research on the bacteriology, biology and chemistry of water and sewage. Services range from sampling and field tests, consulting and studies for adapting water treatment .
The Beit Netofa lab is a pioneer in the testing for organic substances. It has sampled more than 500 sources of drinking water to date, more than any other laboratory in Israel. The central laboratory invests considerably in research and maintains close relationships with several Israeli academic institutions, including the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv University and Haifa University. The lab also coordinates the operations of the Company’s other water testing centers. |
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