Morocco Faces Severe Water Crisis as Drought Enters Sixth Year

The government is working to effectively address the severe water deficit facing Morocco. On Monday, Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, during an oral question session in the House of Representatives, said that the water resources received in the dams between last September and this December do not exceed 500 million cubic meters, compared to 1.5 billion cubic meters over the same period last year, reports the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia. "This situation requires the activation of the regional commissions chaired by the walis and governors, to rationalize the use of water and proceed with local cuts, depending on the evolution of the situation," he said. The minister explained that "if the water connection projects launched in August last year had not been implemented, the authorities would have opted for water cuts in several regions, including Rabat and Casablanca".

During the session, a deputy asked him about the "government’s plan to address the problem of water scarcity". "Since last September, we have recorded a 67% rainfall deficit, as precipitation has not exceeded an average of 21 millimeters, compared to the same period last year," Nizar Baraka replied, noting that this rainfall deficit has had a negative impact on the water storage level of the dams, as their fill level does not exceed 23.5% as of December 22, 2023, compared to 31.2% on the same date last year. To reverse the trend, the construction of eight additional dams for the 2023-2027 period has been programmed, and a partnership agreement had been signed between the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Since 2022, the Regional Project Execution Agencies (AREP) have been working on the realization of 120 small-scale dams as part of this agreement. These achievements will continue until 2024. Another solution considered: the supply of coastal cities with drinking water, from seawater previously treated in desalination plants.