In April 2018, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House), citing the Libya Observer, reported that Misrata was to get a new desalination plant. Council members including the mayor visited the planned Mediterranean site southeast of Tripoli with engineers from Libya's General Desalination Company (GDCL) and the local water utility. The General Authority for Water Resources intended to build the plant with GDCL. No capacity, cost or schedule was given. In August 2017, the Tobruk plant had shut suddenly for lack of chemicals, prompting protests.
The report showed Libya pursuing new coastal desalination projects even as existing plants, such as Tobruk, struggled with operating shortages.