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.