SWRO (Seawater Reverse Osmosis)
High-pressure membrane filtration technology that removes dissolved salts from seawater to produce potable freshwater; the dominant global desalination method at ~3-4 kWh/m³. Israel operates six major Mediterranean SWRO plants (led by IDE Technologies), including Sorek 2 (Be'er Miriam, ~670,000 m³/day, opened 2025), supplying up to 80% of national drinking water. In Aug-Sept 2026, seawater turbidity knocked 5 of 6 plants offline simultaneously.
Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) is the dominant industrial desalination technology, using high-pressure membrane filtration to remove dissolved salts from seawater and produce potable freshwater. Israel operates six major Mediterranean SWRO plants, Sorek A, Sorek 2 (Be'er Miriam), Hadera, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Palmachim, supplying up to 80% of the country's drinking water, making Israeli desalination structural water-security infrastructure rather than marginal supply.
How Does SWRO Work and Why Has It Become the Global Standard?
SWRO forces seawater through semi-permeable membranes under high pressure, filtering out dissolved salts to leave potable freshwater. Energy efficiency improvements over the past two decades have reduced the energy intensity of seawater desalination to roughly 3 to 4 kilowatt-hours per cubic meter, making the technology economically viable at municipal scale and the global standard for large-scale desalination.
How Large Is Israel's Desalination Network Today?
Sorek 2, also known as Be'er Miriam, became Israel's largest desalination plant when it began supplying water in 2025, with a design capacity of roughly 670,000 cubic meters a day and an initial annual output of about 200 million cubic meters; the plant is the world's first steam-driven SWRO facility and was shortlisted for the 2025 Global Water Award for Desalination Plant of the Year. IDE Technologies is also building a fifth large-scale plant, the Western Galilee facility (Birkat Miriam), with a capacity of 380,000 cubic meters a day, projected to come online in 2027 and supply the Haifa, Western Galilee and Upper Galilee regions. Mekorot distributes the desalinated water, after re-adding essential minerals, to 57 municipal water utilities across Israel.
What Happened When Israel's Desalination Plants Went Offline in 2026?
In late August and early September 2026, five of Israel's six Mediterranean desalination plants, Sorek A, Sorek B and others, went offline after seawater turbidity halted filtration, with only Hadera running continuously throughout the disruption, according to Israeli Water Authority and Ministry statements reported by Ynet, Israel National News and the Jerusalem Post. Mekorot activated the natural water system to cover the gap, reaching about 90% of its typical summer supply capacity, Mekorot's Danny Sofer told Ynet, while the Times of Israel reported desalination normally supplies up to 80% of Israel's drinking water. Sorek A and Sorek B resumed partial operation within days after Energy Ministry approval and water-quality sampling confirmed the plants were safe to restart.
Who Builds and Operates Israel's SWRO Plants?
IDE Technologies, an Israeli company, built and operates or co-operates most of the country's major plants, including Sorek A (opened 2013 as the world's largest SWRO facility at the time) and Sorek 2. Hadera is held by the H2ID consortium, which includes Shikun & Binui, and operated by Omis Water, an IDE affiliate. IDE and Mekorot have exported Israeli SWRO design and operations expertise internationally, building on the technical and cost benchmarks set at Sorek.