Israel is contending with significant disruptions in its water supply due to a major algae bloom affecting five out of six key desalination plants along its Mediterranean coast. This bloom, extending up to 100 kilometers, has temporarily incapacitated these facilities by clogging filtration systems, leading to reduced desalination capacity, especially in the southern regions of the country.
The algae outbreak is being attributed to marine pollution exacerbated by untreated wastewater discharged from Gaza. The wastewater infrastructure in Gaza has been severely damaged, resulting in an estimated 45,000 cubic meters of raw sewage entering the Mediterranean daily, thereby contributing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that fuel algae growth.
As a consequence, Israeli water authorities have advised the public to conserve water, while farmers in the affected areas have been instructed to halt irrigation. The situation underscores the interconnected environmental challenges facing the region, as the marine pollution poses ongoing risks to Israel’s desalination infrastructure and public health.
Meanwhile, the water and sanitation crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate. All five of its wastewater treatment facilities are reportedly inoperative, compounding the environmental issues as an additional 15,000 cubic meters of untreated waste is believed to seep into the groundwater daily. This has left many Palestinians reliant on water trucks, with contaminated water sources leading to increased incidences of diarrhoea, skin infections, and other waterborne diseases.
Environmental groups in Israel have called for urgent restoration of Gaza’s wastewater management systems to mitigate these effects. They warn that if the pollution issues persist, they could have far-reaching consequences not only for the communities directly involved but also for the broader Mediterranean ecosystem.