Morocco expands desalination projects to combat water scarcity

Morocco is implementing large-scale water desalination projects to combat water scarcity and drought. In the Casablanca-Settat region, a major plant in Sidi Rahal is being developed through a public-private partnership between the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) and a consortium led by ACCIONA. Once fully operational, this facility aims to produce 300 million cubic meters of water annually, providing drinking water for approximately 7.5 million people and 50 million cubic meters for irrigation.

The project will utilize reverse osmosis technology powered by renewable energy, specifically linked to the 360 MW Bir Anzarane wind farm.

In the Souss-Massa region, Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Bouari highlighted ongoing efforts to secure water for the agricultural sector, which is vital for national exports. A desalination plant in Chtouka, representing a 4.4 billion dirham investment, has already secured irrigation for 15,000 hectares. Plans are underway to expand this capacity and launch even larger projects to provide an additional 250 million cubic meters for agriculture and 100 million cubic meters for drinking water in areas such as Agadir and Taroudant.