Algae bloom tightens Israel’s desalination shield, sparking water-security alarms
A massive Mediterranean microalgae bloom clogged filters at five of Israel’s six major desalination plants, temporarily reducing capacity and highlighting vulnerabilities in a system that provides over 60% of the country’s drinking water. Scientists link the bloom to warm Mediterranean waters and Nile Delta–origin currents, with the Gaza war’s damaged wastewater infrastructure potentially feeding nutrient runoff that fuels blooms, underscoring the region’s pressing need for resilient water infrastructure.
