A Word from the CEO

Dear residents of Be’er Sheva and Ofakim,

Welcome to the website of “Mey Sheva”, the regional water and sewage corporation providing water and sewage services to some 105,000 consumers in Be’er Sheva and Ofakim.

The main purpose of establishing the corporation was to ensure that the money paid by residents is returned to them through investments in water supply reliability (continuity of service, water quality, adequate pressures etc.), adequate sewage disposal (preventing hazards and contaminations) and a high level of service.

These goals are on our minds at all times. In addition to maintaining the reliability of water supply and adequate sewage disposal, we are constantly listening to the public’s opinions and desires and strive diligently and continuously to raise the level of service and the level of satisfaction among the corporation’s customers – you, the residents, the owners and raison d’être of the corporation.

Between 2012 and 2015 the corporation has gone through some fundamental changes, taking it from the brink of insolvency, with substantial financial difficulties, to a balanced budget and a stable and sustainable operation. Hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of water worth millions are saved today, which were previously wasted due to leaks and metering problems. The level of collection has also improved, ensuring equality between all residents and allowing the allocation of collected funds to the improvement of the efficiency, continuity and reliability of water and sewage services.

In recent years, the corporation has been facing some great challenges as a result of frequent changes in regulations. These changes compelled us to improve our performance and become more efficient in all our areas of activity.

I would like to emphasize – we are aware of the burden of prices and share the public’s criticism regarding the increase of water rates in recent years. It is important to emphasize that water rates are not set by the corporation, but are determined by the government’s Water Authority, as part of a national policy aimed, among other goals, at covering the costs of water desalination and the operating costs of Mekorot, the national water company. Nevertheless, the level of service, the quality of water supply and the prevention of sewage contaminations in recent years justify, in my opinion, the decision to establish the water and sewage corporations. Only recently we have been through a rough period of drought, without the headlines, the fear mongering and the difficult emergency orders that accompanied such periods in the not so distant past.

I have begun my role as CEO of the corporation in May 2015. I intend to continue the service revolution lead by the corporation in recent years, as reflected by the high marks it has received from the Water Authority. I plan to take this revolution a step forward by implementing a perennial strategy to improve the state of the corporation and direct it to stability, sustainability and survivability, while protecting and promoting the interests and welfare of the residents of Be’er Sheva and Ofakim in the face of reginal incorporation trends.

We will also have to deal with the Roof Agreements that have been signed in Be’er Sheva between the Israel Land Authority, the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Ministry of Finance, and those that are expected to be singed in Ofakim. Under these agreements, the construction and development of some 20,000 residential units is planned in Be’er Sheva by 2022, and around 12,000 residential units in Ofakim by 2025. For this purpose, the municipality of Be’er Sheva has established an administration office together with all the relevant bodies, which I’m certain will contribute to the planning, management, supervision and execution of the project.

As part of the efforts to improve its service, the corporation has recently launched a new internet site for the use of residents. The site has been created with the needs of different populations in mind, and its design, structure and content have been improved, in order to turn it into a useful and user friendly tool, and to make it accessible to persons with disabilities, in accordance with the law.
Personally, I would be happy to receive any comments or suggestions you may have regarding the new website or the corporation’s activities in general. You are welcome to write to me using the attached form.

I hope you will find the website accessible, useful and friendly.

Happy browsing,
Yours,
Eng. Mario Lubetkin 
CEO, Mey Sheva