The largest desalination plant in Israel, and also ranked among the largest worldwide, delivers 200 million m³ of potable water annually. The most notable feature of the Sorek 2 — Be’er Miriam facility is that it is also the world’s first steam-driven seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant.

Designed by IDE Water Technologies, the system is engineered to optimize energy efficiency via on-site natural gas-fired power production. Sorek 2 — Be’er Miriam can deliver 670,000 m³ of water per day while reducing its specific carbon footprint by 30%, which translates into a savings of 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Captured carbon is fed into the plant’s remineralization process.

Reduced dependency on external power and chemical supplies also lowers transportation and energy costs. With its own independent power station, the SWRO plant can operate autonomously and remain unaffected by fluctuations in the electric grid. Additionally, implementation of the IDE-patented steam-driven direct-drive technology results in a 10% reduction in specific energy consumption compared to similar facilities.