Global engineering consultancy Arup has signed a deal with the Israeli national water company, Mekorot, to explore new opportunities for innovation in the field of water and wastewater treatment around the globe.

The two firms signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a UK visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories led by the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Arup and Mekorot have built up a strong mutual respect for each other’s work as a result of a series of events organised via the UK-Israel Tech Hub – an organisation that aims to boost economic growth and innovation through partnerships between the two countries.

Commenting on the MoU, Alan Belfield, Chairman of Arup’s UKMEA Region said:

“We have worked with some great clients and partners across the region for many years now and this deal represents another step forward in strengthening those relationships. The MoU between Arup and Mekorot demonstrates the great potential we see in driving innovation in this area, not just in this region, but across the world.”

Mekorot is one of the world’s most technologically advanced water companies - seventy years of innovation in the face of Israel’s significant environmental and security challenges have made Mekorot a world leader in desalination, water reclamation, water project engineering, water safety and water quality.

Shimeon Ben Hamo, CEO of Mekorot added:

“Water is a precious resource around the globe so we very much welcome the start of an exciting new period of cooperation and collaboration between our firms to foster new ideas in this important field.”