In May 2017, Globes reported, citing unnamed water industry sources, on pressure to sell state-owned Mekorot's desalination plant in Ashdod cheaply to private investors. The trigger was a decision by Mekorot's board to write off its entire investment in the subsidiary Mekorot Initiation. The sources argued the plant could become profitable within a year after modest repairs. The state was claiming NIS 160 million over late delivery, while Mekorot sought NIS 700 million in arbitration from concession holder IVM, owned by Sadyt and Minrav.
The report showed that Israeli desalination raised ownership questions in 2017: whether a state plant with operating defects should be repaired or sold was openly disputed within the industry.
Source: Globes