Full Breakdown
Israeli Water Sector Faces Shortage After Algal Bloom Shuts Desalination Plants
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Algal Bloom Forces Partial Shutdown of Desalination Capacity
On August 27, five Mediterranean-coast desalination plants were abruptly taken offline after a massive algal bloom clogged intake systems. The plants have operated at only partial capacity for more than two weeks, yet tap water continues to flow without visible interruption. The Ministry of Energy and the Water Authority have not disclosed which previously closed boreholes were re-activated or how much water is being drawn from the Sea of Galilee.
Government Response and Information Gaps
Energy Minister Eli Cohen has held two press briefings, limiting questions and emphasizing that the sector remains functional. The Water Authority answered only partially to a Calcalist inquiry, refusing to release data on pumping volumes from the Sea of Galilee or the Coastal Aquifer, and not identifying the re-opened wells.
Economic and Environmental Implications
Minister Cohen estimated damage to desalination membranes at “several million shekels,” describing it as a marginal cost despite membranes representing roughly 11 % of operating expenses. The Authority has not clarified whether replacement costs will affect water tariffs. Falling groundwater levels in the Coastal Aquifer and a declining Sea of Galilee—already below the “red line”—raise concerns about long-term water quality, though the Authority argues past low-level events caused no unusual damage.
Verbatim Quote
“This is not the first time the Sea of Galilee's water level has dropped below the red line. In the past, such a drop caused no unusual damage to the lake. The theory that a drop in the lake's level could trigger an influx of saline water and cause the lake to become salty has proven incorrect.” — Authority