Israel Water Crisis: Five Desalination Plants Offline Amid Turbidity

Israel is experiencing significant water supply disruptions as five out of six major desalination plants were shut down Tuesday morning. The shutdown, reported by the Water Authority, is due to a new surge in seawater turbidity. Several facilities had briefly resumed operations overnight before being taken offline again early Tuesday.

Initial analyses by the Water Authority and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure suggest the turbidity is caused by microalgae originating from the Nile Delta region. These plants had also been halted the previous day, leading to water shortages across various parts of the country.

Local authorities have been instructed to limit public water consumption, including watering green spaces, and farmers have been told to suspend irrigation. Some municipalities have also shut off water at beach showers and taps. However, the Water Authority stated that no specific restrictions are currently imposed on households, and domestic water supply should continue.

Impacts have been felt particularly in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv region. In Jerusalem, outages were reported in neighborhoods such as Bukharim, Geula, Ramat Eshkol, and Mea Shearim. The Hagihon company has set up public water distribution points in affected areas.

The Water Authority has denied social media rumors suggesting a cyberattack as the cause of the disruptions. The previous day, some communities had to utilize emergency reserves or distribute water via tankers.