Overview
- Initial shutdowns began on Monday when exceptional weather drove a sharp rise in seawater turbidity and forced desalination plants south of Hadera to stop intake.
- After a brief overnight restart, most facilities went offline again on Tuesday as turbidity spiked a second time, prompting broad cuts to irrigation and public landscaping.
- By Tuesday night into Wednesday two plants — Soreq Bet and Palmachim — were partially brought back online while most other plants remained unstable or offline.
- Researchers say seawater samples point to a widespread organic or microalgae bloom, possibly carried north from the Nile Delta, and the National Cyber Directorate has ruled out a cyberattack.
- Authorities have prioritized household supply, increased production from wells and Mekorot sources, and ordered farmers to halt or sharply reduce irrigation to preserve potable water.