I attended the Water Authority meeting where it was accorded to grant one of the five contracts for building and operating desalinization plants to Mekorot, the State Water Company. The Vice manager of the Authority, Zvicky said that Mekorot was offering a higher price than private companies and that it was his opinion that they are unable to build it. But he had a certain feeling for the old State company. The Manager, a former chief engineer of Mekorot, said nothing.
The proposition was approved without opposition. Zwicky was right, Mekorot was unable to build the plant which caused a 100 million dollar loss to the State budget. I am still blaming myself for cowardice, why I did not say my opinion that it was wrong and unethical to give preference to a State-owned dinosaur when we know that it will cost the taxpayer. I was unable to open my mouth. Many of the presents were former Mekorot employees and working as freelancer consultants for the company. I was also offered the possibility to do some side work for Mekorot.
The plant never produced drinking water and was sold to the GES consortium, comprising Shapir Engineering and Industry (TASE: SPEN), controlled by the Shapira family, and Generation Capital consortium for NIS 909 million, which is much more than Mekorot estimated. All five of Israel's main desalination plants are now privately owned.
Ultimately I was moved to a lower job in the Authority. For cowardice.
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