King Mohammed VI calls for greater vigilance and effort in water management in Morocco
In view of the sensitive water situation in Morocco, King Mohammed VI chaired a working session at the Royal Palace in Rabat, devoted mainly to water issues in order to achieve efficient crisis management.
The meeting chaired by the Moroccan monarch is part of the ongoing monitoring of the strategic issue of water in the North African country. The current context marked by a notable deficit in terms of rainfall makes intervention urgent and management rationalised.
In this regard, Mohammed VI urged all the departments and bodies responsible for water issues to redouble their vigilance and efforts to meet the challenge of water security and guarantee the supply of drinking water to all localities in the Kingdom.
Faced with a difficult situation, the circumstances dictate
The strong pressure on water resources in all regions of Morocco reflects the difficult situation the country is going through. This is pushing Aziz Akhannouch's government every day to think of preventive and innovative solutions to overcome the water crisis throughout the national territory.
The Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, clarified the water situation in Morocco during the working session. In the period from September to the first weeks of January 2024, the country has recorded a rainfall deficit of 70% compared to the average, as well as a filling rate of 23.2% of dams, compared to 31.5% in the same period last year.
Thanks to the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Programme 2020-2027, several provinces and regions have been able to be adequately supplied with drinking water in recent years.
This is particularly the case with the completion of the interconnection of the Sebou and Bouregreg basins and the commissioning of the desalination plants in Agadir and Jorf Lasfar in Safi.
Emergency Action Plan
After making a diagnosis of the water situation in Morocco, Nizar Baraka presented to the King the Emergency Action Plan drawn up by the competent departments to deal with the current situation and guarantee the supply of drinking water, especially in the cities located in the centre and the localities in deficit or likely to be in deficit.
Detailed at the level of the Kingdom's various water systems, the Emergency Action Plan provides for short-term diversity, the optimal mobilisation of resources in dams and existing desalination plants.
Other measures included in the Action Plan include the implementation of emergency water supply equipment, especially in areas where the situation requires it. In addition to the restriction of irrigation water or distribution flows in other areas, depending on the particularities of each region.
In accordance with the actual orientations, programmed projects with a medium-term impact will also be accelerated, in particular the dams under implementation, the interconnection between the Sebou, Bouregreg and Oum Rabia basins.
The national programme of seawater desalination plants, the programme for the reuse of treated wastewater and the programme for water saving in drinking water supply and distribution and irrigation networks represent Morocco's defence weapons against the spectre of drought.
The King of Morocco invited the government to engage in transparent and regular communication with citizens on the evolution of the water situation, as well as on the emergency measures to be implemented.
At the same time, he stressed the importance of raising people's awareness of the water economy and the fight against all forms of waste and irresponsible use of this vital resource.
This working session was attended by the King's adviser, Fouad Ali El Himma, the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the Director General of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, Abderrahim El Hafidi.