Desalination reservoirs are often designed to serve as an emergency water supply. By storing treated water, they provide a buffer that can maintain delivery to consumers if the desalination plant needs to shut down temporarily for maintenance, power outages, or unexpected technical issues. The stored volume allows the system to continue meeting demand without immediate disruption.
In addition to short-term outages, reservoirs can help manage peak demand periods, natural disasters, or situations where other water sources are compromised. Utilities often size reservoirs to hold at least one day’s production, and larger volumes may be stored in regions where reliability is critical. To ensure the water remains safe for emergency use, operators maintain disinfectant residuals, monitor water quality, and protect reservoirs from contamination. In some systems, emergency plans include blending desalinated water with other sources or using booster stations to maintain supply pressure.
