Israel's Water Crisis Ends as Reservoirs Refill and Supply Restored

Israel's recent water crisis has concluded, with national water reservoirs refilled and supply fully restored to all residents and the agricultural sector, officials announced Friday. The crisis, which threatened widespread disruptions, stemmed from the temporary shutdown of five of six major desalination plants due to severe Mediterranean seawater turbidity caused by unusual weather and micro-algae pollution.

Stability was achieved through a dynamic operational approach at the desalination facilities, combined with increased water flow from the Sea of Galilee and numerous wells nationwide. Mekorot, the national water company, conducted a massive reservoir refill over the weekend, capitalizing on expected lower consumption during Shabbat. This accelerated refilling aimed to ensure ample supply and redundancy for the upcoming week as consumption returns to normal levels.

Concurrently, a targeted treatment was applied to the sea using approved substances to combat the algae bloom responsible for the turbidity. This action, approved by an inter-ministerial committee led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health, involved dispersing materials deemed safe for swimmers, with comprehensive environmental monitoring underway. The Ministry of Health issued a temporary fishing ban in the treated area as a precautionary measure, emphasizing that fish in markets and beaches remain safe.

Water supply systems in Jerusalem and the central region experienced temporary disruptions during the crisis, leading to prolonged outages for some residents. However, with the desalination plants back to full operation and reservoirs replenished, the threat of further disruptions has subsided, and the water sector has returned to normal operations. Professional teams from the Water Authority, Mekorot, and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure continue to manage the situation around the clock, assuring the resilience of the water system and uninterrupted supply.