The Governmental Authority for Water and Sewerage

In May 2006 Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, enacted a fundamental change to the governmental management structure of the water sector. Prior thereto, the management of water resources was primarily entrusted to the Water Commissioner. With the passing of the years and the enactment of additional legislation having an impact on the water sector, in more and more instances the Water Commissioner needed to obtain the consent of other governmental authorities for the exercise of his functions. A governmental committee concluded in 2005 that the diffusion of the functions pertaining to the water sector among governmental agencies prevented the Water Commissioner from exercising his responsibility in a proper manner.

A governmental proposal for the restructuring of the water sector management was submitted to the Knesset and following its adoption in May 2006 entered into force on 1 January 2007.

The 2006 amendment provided for the transfer of various powers and responsibilities from Ministries and Agencies to a newly created Governmental Authority for Water and Sewerage (the “Governmental Authority”). The Governmental Authority is composed of the staff of the former Water Commission augmented by units transferred from those ministries and agencies.

The Governmental Authority is headed by a Director (the former Water Commissioner) nominated by the Cabinet for a period of five years. The Council is composed of senior representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, National Infrastructures, Interior and Environmental Protection. The Director of the Authority serves ex officio as Chairman of the Council.

The powers and responsibilities of the Governmental Authority on the one and the composition of its Council on the other hand serve the main purpose of the water sector management reform. The decision making power concerning the water sector rests with a single body, the Governmental Authority, while the interests of the transferring entities are preserved through the affiliation of the Council members to their respective ministries.

The transfer of responsibilities and powers from the respective ministries to the Governmental Authority is a gradual one and is scheduled to be completed in 2010 with the transfer of the responsibilities concerning the Corporations and sewerage services pursuant to the Water and Sewerage Corporations Law, 5761-2001.