Most of Israel’s desalination plants have been forced offline this week after a spike in seawater turbidity linked to an algae bloom drifting north from Egypt’s Nile Delta.
What Caused It
Researchers at Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research say the turbidity was likely caused by a bloom of microscopic algae originating near the Nile Delta, small enough to pass through some plant intake filters. Satellite images show large algal blooms near the delta, carried north by Mediterranean currents.
The Scale of the Shutdown
Five of the six desalination plants along Israel’s coastline south of Hadera have shut down, cutting off facilities that normally supply the bulk of the country’s drinking water. Authorities have prioritized household water use over agriculture, threatening roughly 20,000 dunams of vegetable crops near Nitzana, an area that produces about 2 million tons of vegetables.
Where Things Stand
Some plants, including Sorek A and B, briefly resumed full operations before being shut down again after seawater turbidity spiked a second time overnight.
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