Desalination: Map of stations

November 21, 2024

Whether for drinking water, irrigation or industrial use, Morocco is stepping up its efforts to diversify water resources and guarantee their availability. Spread along the coastline, the 15 desalination plants currently in operation have a capacity of 192 million cubic meters per year. Six plants are currently under construction, with a capacity of 438.3 million cubic meters / year, and a further 13 are planned. In any case, capacity should reach 1.7 billion cubic meters per year by 2030, covering more than half of drinking water needs. This will also help to meet irrigation needs. Major investments will be made in large-scale projects. This is the case for the project currently underway in Casablanca, where the largest desalination plant in Africa, and the second in the world to be powered 100% by renewable energies, is being built as part of a public-private partnership (PPP). The plant will involve an investment of nearly 6.5 billion dirhams (USD 650 million) and is a key element of the national water strategy.

Faced with declining supplies of renewable water, Morocco has opted to develop non-conventional water resources, in particular through seawater desalination. This approach integrates an industrial dimension with the use of renewable energies to reduce the ecological footprint of desalinated water production. At the same time, the country is investing in the reuse of treated wastewater, with the aim of increasing treatment capacity to 100 million cubic meters per year by 2027.

This resource will be used primarily for watering green spaces and golf courses, before being extended to cover irrigation, industry and other strategic economic sectors.
Aware of the aggravating effects of climate change, Morocco has readjusted its water strategy. The climate variable is integrated into the National Plan for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation (PNAEPI 2020-2027) and into the National Water Plan. These programs aim to diversify and strengthen the supply of water resources, whether renewable or non-conventional, in order to meet 100% of drinking water needs and cover at least 80% of agricultural requirements. Complementary measures are also underway to rationalize water consumption and raise awareness of the need for more responsible management of this vital resource.

At the heart of this water vision is the reservoirs policy, adopted as a long-term pillar for preserving the country’s water balance. Today, Morocco has 154 large dams with a storage capacity of 20.7 billion cubic meters, a capacity that is set to rise to 24 billion cubic meters by 2030.

At the same time, the country is stepping up inter-basin transfer projects to ensure an equitable distribution of resources. Major initiatives include connecting the Oued Laou-Larache, Loukous, Oued Sebou, Bouregreg, and Oued Oum Er-Rbia basins. These projects illustrate the country’s determination to anticipate future needs while ensuring sustainable and balanced management of water resources.

Khadija MASMOUDI

November 21, 2024