The Israeli Governmental Authority for Water & Sewage issued on 6 April 2009 a request for information (RFI) concerning the installation of temporary mobile desalination plants.
Each of these seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) plants should be built in a short period of up to 12 months (from signing a contract) and be operated for 3 years.
This is the latest government response to the ongoing drought in Israel, which has also led to a request for a 25% increase in production from the Ashkelon, Palmachim and Hadera (still under construction) SWRO plants. An RFI was also issued for water imports.
The minimum capacity for the mobile SWRO plants will be 25,000 m³/d and the maximum will be 100,000 m³/d,with availability of 8,000 hours per year. After use, a total removal of the plant, including the marine sections, will have to be carried out in 6 months and the area restored to its initial conditions.
Though the RFI does not mention quantities, the Israel media are reporting a total of five plants required at an estimated cost of US$ 300 million each.