As Mekorot approaches its 90th anniversary, Israel's national water company is far from stuck in the past. Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Women Leaders Summit, Shira Singer, Head of Digital Customer Experience, challenged misconceptions about the traditional, government-owned utility. "I'm sitting here as a representative of a governmentally owned company, traditional company, which you might think is only about pipes, sensors, or pumps, but it's not," she explained.
Instead, Singer explained how the organization is deeply involved in the AI revolution, using advanced technology to manage the country's most vital natural resource. She emphasized that providing continuous water to the entire State of Israel requires dozens of sophisticated technological processes and systems.
As employees from diverse backgrounds, including field technicians, engineers, and finance professionals, face these rapid changes, Mekorot sees artificial intelligence as an enhancement rather than a threat. "We're looking at the AI revolution as a superpower for our employees," Singer stated. "We're not looking to replace them. We're aiming to empower them and help them become better and more precise in water supply."
The stakes for implementing these digital systems are exceptionally high. Singer warned, "For a national water company, an AI error results in much more than just a frozen screen. Rather, it could jeopardize the fundamental ability to sustain human life." She highlighted the difference with other utilities, noting that while the public may experience electrical failures or gas leaks, they expect to always turn on the tap and find water. Successful AI integration makes the company "10 times stronger, accurate and efficient," supporting a 24/7 water supply that neighboring countries lack.
Singer stressed that "The technology is only as good as the person who was using it." To ensure success across its systems, Mekorot deploys support teams nationwide to train and guide workers, ensuring that a controller managing an active water crisis can operate the technology quickly and accurately. For Singer, the technological revolution is inseparable from a human one. She noted that the company is aggressively bridging the gap between advanced systems and organizational culture through rigorous change management ensuring Mekorot remains the backbone of Israel’s resilience for the next 90 years.
Written in collaboration with Mekorot