In February 2018, the Oman Observer reported that a red tide was affecting the desalination units in the Wilayat of Barka. Oman's Public Authority for Electricity and Water (Diam) followed the situation through its SCADA Centre. Water companies ran the units whenever plankton concentrations in the seawater dropped, so as to maximise output. An emergency committee checked that supply in Seeb stayed free of shortages. The algal bloom was caused by certain dinoflagellate species.
The report showed how closely coastal desalination depended on the quality of the seawater: a single algal bloom was enough to curb plant operation and place water distribution under emergency oversight.
Source: Oman Observer