Egypt's Murky Waters Shut Down Nearly All Israeli Desalination Plants

Nearly all of Israel's desalination plants were shut down again on Tuesday morning due to a severe turbidity event originating from Egypt's coast. This marks a renewed disruption to the country's water supply after an attempt to gradually restore operations overnight.

The sole desalination facility still operating is the Hadera plant. The turbidity, which has been under examination by the Water Authority, led to a complete halt in operations as a precautionary measure. Mekorot, the national water company, is increasing production from available sources to mitigate the impact.

In response to the crisis, the Water Authority and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure have decided to reduce water allocation for public gardening and agriculture. While the supply to households will continue, localized issues with water pressure may occur in various areas. Residents in Sderot have already reported low water pressure and a halt in irrigation water supply.

The shutdown poses a significant threat to agriculture, particularly in the Nitzana development area near the Egyptian border, where an estimated 20,000 dunams of vegetable crops belonging to dozens of farmers are at risk. The head of the Ramat Negev Regional Council warned of a real threat to food security, the cost of living, and the supply of fresh produce.

Officials have clarified that the disruption is not due to a cyberattack, as was previously feared, but rather a natural phenomenon caused by the extremely murky seawater. Efforts are underway to monitor the seawater quality and resume full desalination operations as soon as conditions permit.