APA-Rabat (Morocco) Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, outlined the critical situation of water resources in Morocco during a presentation in which he stressed the alarming levels reached.
By Hicham Alaoui
The country is at a crucial stage, marked by five consecutive years of drought. The last three months have confirmed the trajectory towards another dry year, highlighting a worrying reality.
According to data shared by the minister at a press briefing held on Thursday at the end of the government council meeting, rainfall over the last three months has averaged no more than 21 mm, marking a significant drop estimated at 67 percent compared with a normal year. High temperatures also exceeded the annual average during this period, leading to increased evaporation and affecting the condition of dams.
The minister pointed out that water imports from dams during this period were limited to 519 million cubic meters, compared with 1.5 billion cubic meters the previous year, marking a drop of two-thirds.
As for the areas directly affected by this water crisis, the minister cited the Lokkos basin, which is Morocco’s main water reservoir, usually fed by an annual average of 282 million cubic meters. This year, however, this figure has dropped significantly to just 23 million cubic meters.
In the Moulouya region, the dams received 311 million cubic meters, but the filling rate did not exceed 121 mm3 this year. The Sebou basin, whose reservoir totals 758 million cubic meters, received only 90 million m3 of water this year. The Bouregreg dams recorded 147 mm, but the quantity received did not exceed 14 million.
In the Oum Rabia basin, the dams received 694 million cubic meters, but only 195 million this year. In the Souss-Massa region, the amount of water recorded was around 160 million cubic meters, but this year it has not exceeded 10 mm, according to official figures.
“We did not expect to reach this point, which had a negative impact on the filling rate of the dams, which did not exceed 23.5 percent, down 7 points on the previous year,” the minister said.
Considering that the water situation in Morocco is reaching crisis point, the minister spoke about implementing a series of projects to reduce its effects. He cited water highways such as the Oued Sebou, which transports some 1.3 million m3 of water daily to Rabat and Casablanca, as well as projects for seawater desalination plants that will come on stream shortly, notably in Casablanca and El Jadida.
On the subject of the Casablanca seawater desalination plant, for which the contract has just been awarded and construction is due to start in January 2024, the minister provided a number of clarifications.
“The state will neither build nor manage the operation of this plant, nor sell its production. These tasks will be carried out by investors, whose main mission will be to sell ONEE drinking water at a price of 4.5 dirhams per m3. It would be unheard of at that price,” he said, before calling for “the mobilisation of all for better water management and governance.”
Other measures to optimise the use of drinking water will be taken, including the continuation of the operation to close illegal wells, the reduction of pressure and the use of “water cuts, if necessary, which will be carried out at local level, according to the evolution of the situation in each commune or town,” noting that regional committees will take all necessary measures to guarantee the rationalisation of water demand and the proper use of available resources.
Baraka also pointed out that the government’s responsibility is to be proactive and to issue an early warning, so that the necessary measures can be taken to deal with supply and demand issues, which are linked to the rationalisation of water use, in particular by improving water efficiency and limiting water wastage.
HA/fss/as/APA