State Comptroller Warned of Desalination Plant Risks in 2024 Report
Israel's State Comptroller issued a stark warning in November 2024 regarding significant deficiencies and risks at the country's seawater desalination facilities, nearly two years before the current turbidity incident. The report detailed issues including unreported turbidity events, contamination leading to plant shutdowns, and inadequate preparation for future threats, potentially compromising drinking water quality and supply continuity.
One key finding focused on Desalination Plant B, which experienced 18 high turbidity events in 2023. According to the comptroller, these events necessitated immediate reporting to the Ministry of Health and halting water supply, yet the operating company reported only a fraction of these incidents, and only after being prompted, while continuing to supply water.
The report also highlighted 14 seawater contamination events between 2007 and the audit's conclusion, causing desalination plant shutdowns ranging from hours to five days. Eight were due to microbial contamination, four from fuel and oil, and two from turbidity following storms and earthquakes.
Furthermore, the comptroller raised concerns about the concentration of a substantial portion of Israel's desalination capacity in a few facilities. Plants in Hadera, Sorek A, and Palmahim collectively supplied about 62% of the country's desalinated water, a figure expected to rise to 72% with the addition of Sorek B. The proximity of some plants to the Sorek and Hadera river mouths poses a risk, as heavy rainfall could wash sewage and effluents into the water intake areas, degrading quality and potentially causing shutdowns. The report noted that no complete solution to this risk had been found by the audit's end.
Additionally, the report warned of threats from algal toxins and invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea, whose proliferation could be accelerated by climate change. The comptroller stated that the Ministry of Health had not yet conducted the required risk assessment for this issue. However, the source of the current turbidity incident is reportedly unrelated to the sewage and contamination issues detailed in the report.
