Following a severe crisis caused by micro-algae from the Nile Delta that shut down five out of six desalination plants and crippled agricultural irrigation in the south, all Israeli desalination facilities have resumed operations. Officials report stable drinking water supplies, though most plants remain at partial capacity while recovery continues.
The Desalination Shutdown and the Nile Delta Algae Crisis
Israel relies heavily on Mediterranean Sea desalination for its daily water consumption. However, an unusual biological event disrupted the national water supply system when microscopic algae from the Nile Delta region swept into local waters. The severe turbidity choked the infrastructure, forcing the closure of five out of the country’s six major private desalination facilities.
The coastal plants affected included Ashkelon, Palmachim, Sorek A, Sorek B, and Ashdod, leaving Hadera as the sole facility operating initially. According to researchers at the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research institute, the tiny algae proved capable of slipping past standard intake water filters.
Agricultural Cutbacks and Municipal Water Restrictions
To preserve drinking water reserves, authorities ordered steep reductions in freshwater supplies to agricultural sectors in the Negev, forcing farmers to halt crop irrigation.
Municipalities across the country issued urgent conservation alerts. Local authorities in Jerusalem, Ma’ale Adumim, Givatayim, and Givat Zeev warned residents of possible pressure drops or temporary outages. Citizens were instructed to restrict water use strictly to essential needs, avoiding garden irrigation, car washing, and pool filling.
Byless of the fact that the five desalination plants stopped working, we operated our entire natural water system, which brings us to a state of about 90% of the summer supply capacity. In the winter no one would have noticed the problem, as water consumption is about 50% of winter consumption. In the summer we don’t know how to overcome the problem. Danny Sofor, Acting CEO of Mekorot, via Ynet
Emergency Management and System Stabilization
To plug the supply gap, water company Mekorot ramped up production through hundreds of active boreholes nationwide, increased pumping from the Sea of Galilee, and aggressively filled central reservoirs over the weekend. Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen convened emergency status assessments with ministry director general Yossi Dayan, the Water Authority, Mekorot, and marine researchers.
As water turbidity decreased, operational teams managed to restart facilities incrementally. The Hadera plant reached full capacity, while the Sorek and Palmachim installations progressively came back online despite intermittent shutdowns triggered by sudden spikes in suspended organic matter.
Pesticide Treatment Controversy in Ashkelon
Amid the operational crisis, an investigative report revealed that the Water Authority authorized the release of toxic pesticides, including copper sulfate at concentrations 27 times higher than standard limits, into the sea about a kilometer off Ashkelon’s coast.
State officials defended the action, stating that the targeted spot-treatment of authorized substances was approved by an inter-ministerial committee led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health. Authorities maintained that the chemicals pose no danger to bathers and announced that environmental monitoring is underway. The Ministry of Health imposed a temporary fishing ban in the treatment zone purely as a safety precaution pending monitoring results.
Current Status and Long-Term Infrastructure Preparations
The Water Authority confirmed that system operations have stabilized, with drinking water remaining completely safe for consumption. Agricultural irrigation lines to the Negev have been restored, and municipal pressure has returned to normal levels following the weekend drop in domestic demand.
Looking ahead, the government is taking measures to prevent future vulnerabilities. Minister Cohen acknowledged that repairing membrane wear across facilities could run into the tens of millions of shekels. To safeguard against recurring blooms, the Water Authority has initiated purchases of dedicated reserve membrane stockpiles and announced plans to extend desalination intake pipes further westward into uncontaminated zones if necessary.
