Desalination crisis deepens as algae threaten Israel’s last fully operating coastal p

Key Points:

• Israel is facing an ongoing algae crisis that has severely disrupted its Mediterranean desalination plants, with five of six facilities shut down or operating partially due to algae clogging filters; the algae are moving northward, threatening the last fully operational plant in Hadera.
• Experts from the Water Authority and Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research are working to identify the specific algae species and develop treatment protocols that encourage the algae to cluster and be trapped by filters rather than penetrate desalination systems.
• In response to the crisis, Mekorot received Health Ministry approval to use previously restricted water wells to supplement supply, allowing agricultural irrigation to resume after a brief halt, while municipal water use has been urged to reduce by 10%.
• The crisis is attributed to algae likely originating from the Nile region, with fertilizers or sewage from the Gaza Strip possibly contributing to blooms, and is exacerbated by climate change-related weather extremes; experts emphasize the need for improved forecasting and water system resilience.
• Palmachim desalination plant is operating at about 50% capacity despite contamination risks, as shutting it down would severely impact water availability, highlighting the critical balance between managing risks and maintaining water supply during this unprecedented event.