Tag

Desalination

All articles tagged with #desalination

world22 days ago•4 min saved

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.

via BBC|

#algae-bloom #desalination #gaza-war

environment1 month ago•3 min saved

Gaza sewage suspected in rare algae bloom that knocks out Israeli desalination plants

Untreated Gaza wastewater may have contributed to a rare cyanobacteria bloom that temporarily shut down five of Israel's six major coastal desalination plants, underscoring the fragility of the country’s drinking-water supply amid warming seas and other pollution factors.

via Middle East Eye|

#algae-bloom #desalination #environment

world1 month ago•204 min saved

Miles-long microalgae bloom cripples Israel's desalination plants

A miles-long microalgae bloom along Israel’s Mediterranean coast temporarily shut down five of the country’s six coastal desalination plants, threatening its main drinking-water source. Some plants have partially resumed with one operating at full capacity, while authorities diverted water from alternative sources (Sea of Galilee, groundwater, reserves). Scientists say the bloom—likely originating in the Nile Delta and driven by warming seas and turbidity—highlights how climate change can stress centralized water infrastructure that increasingly relies on desalination using reverse osmosis. The episode underscores water-security vulnerabilities and may foreshadow future similar events as the climate continues to change.

via CNN|

#climate-change #desalination #israel-water-supply

israel-news1 month ago•17 min saved

Desalination Shutdown Threatens Israel's Harvest Ahead of Holidays

Israel faces crop losses and food-security risk as most desalination facilities were shut down due to turbid seawater. Authorities are boosting pumping from wells and the Sea of Galilee and have approved two additional desalination plants to keep household water flowing, while the Agriculture Ministry coordinates aid for at-risk farms in the South. The Israel Farmers Federation is demanding immediate government compensation and action as areas like Nitzana could lose tens of thousands of dunams of crops ahead of the High Holy Days. The situation echoes prior State Comptroller warnings about desalination management and cybersecurity readiness, and separate Bedouin-water outages are being addressed with tankers.

via jpost.com|

#agriculture #desalination #food-security

world1 month ago•1 min saved

Israel Faces Fresh Desalination Outages Amid Turbidity Surge

Most of Israel's desalination plants are offline for a second day due to unusually turbid seawater, prompting authorities to cut irrigation in public spaces and curb water use while ensuring normal household supply; the disruption began south of Hadera and affected areas across the Coastal Plain, central and southern regions, with officials confirming it is caused by weather conditions rather than a cyberattack.

via Israel National News|

#desalination #israel #outages

world1 month ago•13 min saved

Israel grapples with nationwide water disruption as desalination plants shut down

A widespread malfunction at Israel’s desalination facilities led to five of six plants shutting down due to severe turbidity in seawater, prompting nationwide water restrictions and urgent conservation advisories. Authorities warned of reduced pressure and potential outages in major cities (including Jerusalem and Rishon Lezion) while Mekorot and the Water Authority rush to boost production and stabilize supply as some plants may resume operation once sediments settle and clarity returns.

via The Jerusalem Post|

#desalination #israel #mekorot

environment2 months ago•4 min saved

Southwest races to conserve water as Lake Powell approaches a critical low

Cities across the Southwest are stepping up water-saving measures as Lake Powell falls to historic lows, threatening river flow and power generation. Phoenix has three purification facilities and smart irrigation, Tucson has long switched to desert landscaping, San Diego relies on a large desalination plant and recently agreed to curb Colorado River withdrawals, and Albuquerque promotes its Water 2120 plan with restrictions on lawn watering. California and six other river states remain at an impasse over sharing cuts, while agriculture still accounts for most river usage. Drinking water remains secure for now, but costs could rise and urban conservation must be paired with greater agricultural and policy action to avert a worst-case scenario like a “dead pool.”

via USA Today|

#colorado-river #desalination #drought

middle-east2 months ago•6 min saved

Iran weaponizes water: Kuwait desalination under mounting strikes

Iran has struck Kuwait’s desalination and power plants for a fourth day, using water infrastructure as a coercive weapon to pressure a water-dependent Kuwait amid a large U.S. presence. Analysts say the aim is psychological leverage rather than a traditional water war, exploiting Kuwait’s vulnerability and its cogeneration system that provides both electricity and desalinated water.

via France 24|

#desalination #iran #kuwait

world2 months ago•2 min saved

Desalination under fire as Iran-Kuwait clash widens Gulf flare-up

Iran launched a fresh round of strikes on Washington’s Gulf allies after the United States bombed Iran for a seventh consecutive night following the collapse of a ceasefire deal. Both Iran and Kuwait said the attacks hit desalination plants, a crucial water source; Kuwait reported a fire at a power and desalination plant, with desalination supplying about 90% of its drinking water. Tasnim quoted authorities saying about 10,000 people could face water shortages after a U.S. strike on a desalination facility. U.S. Central Command said it had hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities. Bahrain and Jordan intercepted several strikes, and the ceasefire agreed in June was declared over by Trump last week.

via politico.eu|

#desalination #iran #kuwait

technology4 months ago•6 min saved

Zero-brine solar desalination tech makes fresh water from sunlight

University of Rochester researchers built a solar-powered desalination device with a laser-etched black surface that absorbs most sunlight and draws a thin water film to distill fresh water, while moving the salt to untreated edges to avoid clogging and leaving no brine waste. The surface remains self-cleaning across ocean water, and a related version seeded with nanoparticles can remove lithium from Great Salt Lake samples.

via Boing Boing|

#brine-free #desalination #lithium-extraction

world4 months ago•9 min saved

On the brink of vanishing: the Dead Sea's sinkholes and stalled remedies

The Dead Sea, the world’s lowest point and among the saltiest bodies of water, is shrinking by about four feet per year due to river diversions, mineral extraction, and climate change, spawning more than 6,000 sinkholes and threatening beaches and livelihoods. Multiple rescue plans exist, including a Red Sea desalination project and Jordan River restoration, but high costs and regional political tensions have stalled action, leaving experts to focus on stabilizing decline rather than restoring it to its former level.

via CNN|

#dead-sea #desalination #regional-politics

world6 months ago•43 min saved

Trump's Threat to Iran's Desalination Plants Could Redraw Middle East Water Security

Trump said on Truth Social that if a deal isn’t reached and the Hormuz Strait remains blocked, the U.S. could blow up Iran’s energy infrastructure and possibly its desalination plants, a move that could jeopardize Gulf water supplies that rely heavily on desalinated water. Desalination is vital for cities across the region, so such attacks would carry humanitarian and geopolitical consequences, with Gulf states scrambling to bolster backups while international law prohibits targeting civilian water infrastructure.

via Yahoo|

#desalination #iran #middle-east

world6 months ago•44 min saved

Trump threatens to obliterate Iran's energy infrastructure if ceasefire stalls

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that, if a ceasefire with Iran is not reached “shortly,” the United States could widen its military campaign by destroying Iran’s energy resources and critical infrastructure—including oil facilities and desalination plants—while regional fighting and negotiations continue, with discussions about seizing Kharg Island influencing the U.S. approach.

via Yahoo|

#ceasefire #desalination #iran

climate6 months ago•181 min saved

Corpus Christi’s water crisis: months of supply left as industrial demand surges

Corpus Christi, Texas, is nearing a water emergency as Lake Corpus Christi sits at about 9% capacity and nearby lakes are even lower, threatening residential taps while a petrochemical and steel‑making boom dries up available water. Industry has pledged large water allocations for new plants, but supplies are uncertain, and a gulf desalination plant (Inner Harbor) has faced escalating costs and delays. City officials are pursuing groundwater and other sources, while Governor Abbott has floated state intervention and rules to accelerate relief. A potential Level 1 drought could force mandatory cuts, though industry concerns over jobs and economic impact complicate decisions, underscoring the clash between industrial water use and climate-driven scarcity.

via CNN|

#climate #corpus-christi #desalination

world6 months ago•38 min saved

Iran flags 'water war' risk as it threatens desalination plants, UN official warns

UN official Kaveh Madani warns Iran could strike desalination and energy infrastructure across the Middle East within days, risking a regional water crisis and global economic fallout. Desalination plants on sites like Bahrain and Qeshm Island are cited amid rising tensions with the U.S. and Israel; experts say damage to water and power infrastructure could be catastrophic and have lasting effects, potentially driving oil prices higher.

via Yahoo|

#desalination #iran #middle-east