MOROCCO WATER CRISIS

Morocco invests in wastewater treatment projects after drought hit its water reserves

epa11565265 A view of the water pumping station 1 for the Sebou Dam, which has been connected to the Oued Bouregreg Basin via 'waterways' in Sale, Morocco, 22 August 2024 (issued 26 August 2024). This project aims to alleviate the water crisis faced by major Moroccan cities, including Casablanca and Rabat. It involves redirecting excess water from the Sebou Basin, which used to flow into the Atlantic Ocean, to the Bouregreg Basin, providing drinking water for approximately eight million people on the Rabat-Casablanca axis and relieving pressure on the Al Massira Dam. 'Six consecutive years of drought have had a profound impact on water reserves and groundwater, making the water situation more and more fragile and complex', said Morocco's King Mohammed VI on 29 July 2024 during a speech on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne. According to Interim Director of Permanent Control Services of Rabat, Imane Bey, Morocco is facing a major water crisis due to several consecutive years of drought that severely impacted its water reserves. The country has launched a project to reuse treated wastewater to irrigate green spaces in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region. The project, primarily funded by the Moroccan government, is the result of a partnership between several operators in the water sector. The project relies mainly on six treatment plants that ensure a daily production of 56,000 cubic meters of treated wastewater, with a total storage capacity of approximately 30,000 cubic meters. A high-tech infrastructure monitors the production and distribution of treated water from a centralized command center to ensure compliance with international quality standards. This water is used through 400 km of installed pipelines to supply 1,200 hectares of public green spaces in the cities of Rabat, Sale, Temara, Harhoura, and Skhirat. By July 2024, this has allowed the reduction of potable water consumption of 11.7 million cubic meters since the project began

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