Egypt Turbidity Shuts Down Most Israeli Desalination Plants

Nearly all of Israel's desalination plants were shut down again on Tuesday morning due to a plume of turbid seawater originating from the coast of Egypt. The shutdown, which follows a similar disruption on Monday, forced operators to halt production at most facilities along the Mediterranean coast. The only plant currently operating normally is the facility in Hadera.

The Water Authority has instructed a reduction in public gardening and agricultural water use, and while household water supply will continue, localized issues with water pressure may occur. The National Emergency Management Authority issued alerts for potential disruptions in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Ma'ale Adumim, and Beit Shemesh.

This latest disruption began Tuesday morning after a similar event on Monday caused by poor sea conditions. Initially, there were concerns of a cyberattack on water infrastructure, but industry sources and the National Cyber Directorate confirmed the issue was solely due to seawater turbidity.

Residents in southern Israel, including Sderot, reported low water pressure and a halt to irrigation water supply. Farmers, particularly in communities near the Egyptian border, expressed significant concern, with one farmer warning of a threat to national food security and millions in investments being lost.

The Water Authority is investigating the turbidity, and Mekorot, the national water company, is increasing production from available sources. The situation has led to reduced water supply for agriculture in the south, raising alarms among farmers.