Sorek A Returns to Full Desalination Output (Updated)
Updates
- September 22, 2026: Sorek A had returned to full output, according to a report citing government sources. Palmachim was operating at 75%, and Ashdod and Ashkelon at 50%; a full recovery of all affected plants had not been confirmed.
Original report
Five of Israel's six desalination plants are operating at about half capacity as an unusually large Mediterranean algae bloom keeps seawater turbidity high. Water Authority Director Yehezkel Lipshitz said algae concentrations from Ashkelon to the Sharon coast are five times normal and non-toxic, but the turbidity could damage filtration membranes. The authority is preparing for the disruption to continue for several weeks and possibly through the end of 2026. Household supplies remain uninterrupted as the national system supplements desalinated water with Sea of Galilee and groundwater sources.
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