Israel Faces Water Shortages After Storm Disrupts Desalination Plants

Residents across Israel were instructed on Monday to conserve water and prepare for potential disruptions in supply following a malfunction at desalination facilities south of Hadera. The plants ceased operations due to severe weather conditions impacting seawater quality. Residents in the Shfela region, the southern part of the country, and Givatayim were specifically advised to brace for possible water outages in the coming hours.

In the community of Carmei Yosef, residents received a notice stating, "Due to a nationwide water supply malfunction, a water outage is expected in the community. Please prepare accordingly and stock up on water in advance." A similar message was issued in Givatayim, warning of potential disruptions, reduced water pressure, and outages in certain areas. The public was urged to use water only for essential needs until normal service resumes.

The Water Authority confirmed that the extreme weather affected seawater quality, leading to the temporary shutdown of some desalination facilities. Consequently, the supply of fresh water to agriculture in the southern region was also reduced. An industry source clarified that the issue was weather-related, not a cyberattack, and that the desalination plants were preparing for a gradual return to operation by Monday evening as pollution levels decreased.

Meanwhile, the Ramat Negev Regional Council reported "serious malfunctions in the national desalination system." Following an assessment with Mekorot (the national water company) and the Water Authority, all agricultural consumers in the area were instructed to halt irrigation completely for several hours. Residents were also asked to refrain from watering private gardens and public areas as much as possible.