Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 31, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 31, 2026
Water limited for agriculture and in Tel Aviv beach showers as desalination shutdown continues
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
People at the beach in Tel Aviv on Independence Day, April 22, 2026. (Stav Levaton/Times of Israel)
As most of Israel’s desalination plants remain shut down due to weather conditions, potable water for agriculture was switched off in the south of the country, while, according to Ynet, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality is limiting water for systems such as park irrigation and beach showers and faucets.
“We are aware of the malfunction and are in ongoing contact with the national Mekorot company,” a statement says.
In addition, the Mekorot water company confirms that the Soreq A desalination plant south of Tel Aviv has resumed partial operation. Earlier today, five out of six plants were shuttered because of “severe turbidity” in seawater caused by weather conditions.
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