Morocco accelerates the implementation of water desalination projects

Years of successive droughts have devastated reservoirs, prompting Morocco to accelerate its desalination plans by building new plants in Casablanca and Nador by 2027. 

The level of dam filling in Morocco fell to an average of 23% in November, while some critical dams, such as Al-Massira, supplying Casablanca, are completely depleted. Construction work on the largest desalination plant in Casablanca will begin next year. However, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, it will be able to start pumping fresh water only by 2027.

It will have a capacity of 300 cubic meters, which will be enough to ensure the water security of Morocco's largest city and its surroundings.

Morocco has completed the first stage of construction of a waterway connecting the water-rich Oued Cebu basin with a dam near Rabat, which also supplies water to northern Casablanca. This waterway helped prevent water supply disruptions in Casablanca while awaiting the construction of a desalination plant.

Minister of Water Resources Nizar Baraka informed members of Parliament that a tender will be announced later this month for the construction of a desalination plant to supply Nador with a capacity of 250 million cubic meters. Baraka said that his department is also considering the possibility of creating a similar plant to supply Tangier, Morocco's second largest industrial center.

Earlier in the summer, at the Russia–Africa forum, the Moroccan company Water and Energy Solutions and the Russian JSC Rusatom Infrastructure Solutions (part of Rosatom) signed a memorandum of understanding at the forum. In accordance with the document, the parties plan to cooperate on the implementation of projects in the field of desalination, water treatment and water treatment.