Giant Sde Dov neighborhood planned, then found to require additional water connection
Mei Avivim discovered that new neighborhoods under construction in northern Tel Aviv would lack water access, leading to the approval of an 80 million shekel pipeline project with Mekorot.
After discovering that Sde Dov and new neighborhoods around Tel Aviv would not be able to receive water, the water and sewage corporation "Mei Avivim" approved, together with the national water company "Mekorot," the establishment of a fifth water supply infrastructure project for Tel Aviv, at an estimated cost of about 80 million shekels. Mekorot officials hope the work will be completed within three years.
This development follows reports of soil pollution in Sde Dov, which led the first buyer to demand the cancellation of an apartment purchase option in the intended luxury neighborhood in northern Tel Aviv.
The management of both parties, led by acting CEO of Mekorot Dani Sofer and CEO of Mei Avivim Ruska Nikolaiv, has instructed working teams to remove planning and regulatory barriers to ensure the project is completed and operational by the end of the decade. Housing development cannot proceed without this water line.
Approximately 40,000 housing units are planned for the area, which will serve about 100,000 residents. The new water pipeline, known as the "Pi Glilot line," will be built with a diameter of 60 inches (about 1.5 meters) and a length of over seven kilometers. The infrastructure will connect south of Highway 5 to the national water system, crossing major transportation arteries, including Highway 20 and Highway 2.
Mekorot and Mei Avivim note that the construction is intended to ensure supply continuity and structural redundancy, providing tens of thousands of cubic meters of water per day. This is essential to meet the development momentum and accelerated demand in the north of the city, primarily the Sde Dov quarter. Constant water supply is a threshold condition for orderly marketing and real estate development for all entities operating in the area.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mekorot, Adv. Moshe Shimoni, stated:
"Connecting the fifth line to the city will allow us to combine the capabilities and national infrastructure of Mekorot with the corporation's familiarity with the city's needs. Promoting the project will allow both parties to plan together a reliable, advanced water system prepared for the coming years."
"The connection between the municipal corporation and the national water company is a national and municipal force multiplier," said Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mei Avivim Avraham Manela. "The cooperation allows for the promotion of engineering and technological solutions, which ensure that Tel Aviv-Yafo will continue to lead in standards of innovation, functional continuity, and infrastructure quality for the benefit of the residents and businesses in the city."
