Most Israeli desalination plants shut down again due to seawater turbidity
The Water Authority said the majority of Israel's desalination facilities were taken offline for a second time within 24 hours because of a rapid rise in seawater turbidity, while household water supply remains unaffected.
Israel's Water Authority reported that most of the country's desalination plants were taken offline for a second time in a single day after a sharp increase in seawater turbidity forced a shutdown. The plants had operated through the night before the turbidity spike prompted officials to halt production again.
The authority instructed local municipalities to cut irrigation in public parks and agricultural activities and to reduce water use in public spaces. It emphasized that regular household water deliveries would continue, adding that any localized issues would be addressed through a focused response from the operations centre.
The shutdowns began on Monday afternoon when facilities south of Hadera stopped operating amid unusual weather conditions. Residents in the coastal plain, central and southern regions received advisories to prepare for possible water interruptions, and temporary disruption notices were also issued for Givatayim, Rishon Lezion and Jerusalem.
The Israel National Cyber Directorate responded to social-media rumors by confirming that the incident was not the result of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure, but was caused solely by recent weather-related changes in water composition and quality.