Israel Faces Water Crisis Warnings Amid Desalination Plant Disruptions

A Knesset committee discussed the state of Israel's desalination plants and oversight following a severe water crisis in late August. An unusual algae bloom and extreme turbidity in seawater led to the shutdown or reduced operation of five of the six major desalination facilities. Committee chair MK Alon Schuster warned that the current crisis highlights long-standing issues, including a lack of long-term planning and the need to preserve natural water sources as a strategic reserve. He stressed the importance of preparing for such "distress events" and avoiding sole reliance on desalination.

Representatives from the State Comptroller's office echoed these concerns, noting that their past audit reports had already warned of these deficiencies. They highlighted Israel's increasing dependence on desalination due to rising water demand and declining natural supplies, necessitating better preparedness for operational disruptions. The Comptroller's office also pointed to the need to maintain natural water sources, rehabilitate aquifers, and ensure timely, geographically dispersed construction of new desalination facilities. The Water Authority has not yet completed a comprehensive master plan for the water economy, which the Comptroller's office stated hinders crisis preparedness.

The audit revealed that the long-term desalination development plan until 2050 was not approved on time. While production capacity for 2050 and 2075 was approved by the Water Authority Council in May 2026, and government approval for 2050 capacity came in June 2026, these timelines lagged. In 2024, desalination plants produced approximately 540 million cubic meters of water, significantly below their licensed capacity of 800 million cubic meters. This shortfall is equivalent to about one-third of the water volume in the Sea of Galilee, which itself was reported to be 0.41 meters below its lower red line in September 2026.

Further audit findings indicated 14 past incidents of seawater contamination between 2007 and 2023 that halted production for periods ranging from hours to five days. However, the recent event impacted multiple plants simultaneously. Oversight gaps were also identified, with the Ministry of Health failing to conduct required annual inspections at any desalination plant between 2018 and 2023, and the Water Authority not performing frequent surprise checks. The Ministry of Health has also not yet surveyed invasive species in the Mediterranean, which could affect raw water quality.

Water Authority Director General Yitzhak Lipschitz described the recent event as exceptionally severe, with turbidity levels reaching 15-20 in southern areas, compared to a normal 3-4. Operations were halted to prevent irreversible damage to membranes and have since been gradually restored. Currently, one plant is operating at full capacity, while the other five are partially functional, producing about 60% of normal daily output. The deficit is being covered by increased pumping from the Sea of Galilee and boreholes. The Water Authority is preparing for a scenario where partial desalination output continues until the end of 2026, but current supply is sufficient for domestic and agricultural needs. Facilities have been instructed to increase their membrane reserves for rapid replacement, and Israel is seeking international expertise, as no similar event has been documented globally.