Israel's Water Sector Nears Full Recovery After Algae Bloom Crisis

Israel's water sector is expected to return to full operational capacity within hours, according to Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen. The announcement came during a press conference convened to address a crisis that led to the shutdown of five of the country's six major desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast.

The disruption was caused by an unusual turbidity in the seawater, stemming from a significant algae bloom originating in the Nile region. The Hadera desalination plant was the only facility that continued to operate at full capacity throughout the incident.

Subsequently, the Sorek 1, Sorek 2, and Palmahim plants resumed partial operations, collectively adding approximately 20,000 cubic meters of water per hour. Their reactivation was approved despite concerns that the turbidity could damage the membranes used in the desalination process, with the state pledging to compensate the plant operators for any potential harm.

In parallel, water supply to farmers in the Nitzana region was restored after its interruption had put an estimated 20,000 dunams of vegetable crops at risk. The incident highlighted Israel's increasing reliance on desalination, as the simultaneous shutdown of most facilities, while not impacting drinking water supply to homes, necessitated reductions in other water uses, including irrigation of public gardens and supply to some farmers.

Director General of the Ministry of Energy, Yossi Dayan, described the event as unprecedented, noting that the phenomenon affecting the plants was unknown to experts in recent decades.