The Israel Desalination Society (IDS) was founded in 1998. Its charter calls for “the development and promotion of the appropriate use of desalination and desalination technologies for the water supply needs of the State of Israel”. To fulfill this objective, the IDS organizes annual conferences aiming: To provide decision makers and the public at large with documented authoritative information on the role of desalination in alleviating the water scarcity difficulties facing Israel and its neighbors To follow the ongoing technological progress that has brought down the cost of sea water desalination to the level of about half a dollar per cu. m., thus making desalinated water an affordable commodity To provide a forum for exchange of information on desalination programs on both local and international levels To report technological innovations in Israel and abroad emanating from industrial activities and research institutes of academic and other organizations.