Morocco Unveils Massive Seawater Desalination Plan to Combat Water Scarcity

This program, detailed by the minister during the oral question session in the House of Representatives, aims to both supply coastal cities with drinking water and relieve traditional water resources, particularly for agricultural needs. Several regions of the country, particularly affected by water scarcity, will benefit from these new infrastructures.

Among the flagship projects, the Dakhla plant, whose work is already well advanced (70%), will have a capacity of 37 million cubic meters per year. Casablanca and the Oriental region will each have a plant capable of producing 300 million cubic meters, divided between drinking water and irrigation. Tangier and Rabat will also have their own plants, of 150 million and 300 million cubic meters respectively, dedicated to drinking water supply.

Other plants, with a capacity of 300 million cubic meters each, will be built in Oum Errabia and Tensift to irrigate the agricultural lands of Doukkala, Abda, Haouz and Tensift. The Souss-Massa region will not be left out with a 350 million cubic meter plant, 250 million of which will be for irrigation. Finally, medium-sized plants are planned in Guelmim, Boujdour, Tan-Tan and other localities.

In addition to desalination, Morocco is also betting on "water highways", these connections between water basins. The connection between the Sebou and Bouregreg basins has already made it possible to transfer more than 580 million cubic meters, while the one between the Oued El Makhazine and Dar Khrofa dams, in the final phase of work, will supply Tangier with drinking water (100 million cubic meters per year) and irrigate 21,000 hectares in Dar Khrofa.

Finally, the minister announced the imminent completion, within six months, of the connection of the Jorf Lasfar desalination plant to that of Dourat, thus guaranteeing the drinking water supply to the south of Casablanca.