Israel's Major Desalination Plants Shut Down Amid Algae Bloom

Most of Israel's major desalination plants have been shut down again due to a suspected bloom of micro-algae, likely originating from the Nile River delta. The Sorek A and Sorek B facilities had partially resumed operations overnight, but the Ashkelon, Ashdod, Palmachim, and Sorek A-B plants remain offline. Only the Hadera desalination plant is currently operational.

Initial investigations by researchers at the National Institute of Oceanography suggest the algae bloom is the cause of the widespread shutdown. This is the second time in recent days that the plants have been affected by this phenomenon.

There have been no changes to public water consumption guidelines, except for a halt in public garden irrigation in the southern region of the country. The situation is being closely monitored, and efforts are underway to understand the full extent of the algae bloom and its impact on Israel's water supply.