Three desalination plants in Israel: in Ashkelon (2005), Palmahim (2007 ) and Hadera (2010) – were built by private companies through a public tender. The companies won the tenders by offering the government the lowest prices for water, and the government agreed to buy desalinated seawater from the plants for a fixed price over a fixed number of years. All the tenders were competitive processes.

The Ashkelon plant is owned 50% by IDE and 50% by the French company Veolia; the Palmahim plant is controlled 72% by Granite Hacarmel and 28% by the Tahal Group; and the Hadera plant is controlled 50% by IDE and 50% by Shari Arison’s Shikun & Binui.