Morocco unveils $12bn plan to secure water supply

By Daniel Brightmore
Morocco will spend 11...

Morocco will spend 115 billion dirhams ($12bn) on water supply between 2020 and 2027 to meet increasing demand, the state news agency has reported.

The programme, announced this week by King Mohammed VI, includes the construction of dams, irrigation, improving the delivery of drinking water to rural areas, the treatment and reuse of wastewater, awareness-raising to reduce demand and the preservation of water resources, reports Reuters.

The expenditure will form part of the draft 2020-2050 National Water Plan, discussed by the Moroccan government in December. The plan covers the spending of $40bn aimed at improving the water supply through the construction of dams, the connection of water basins, the desalination of sea water, the integration of all rural centres into structured drinking water supply systems, the provision of water resources for the development of sustainable agriculture, the preservation of ecosystems and the fight against pollution.

Morocco was ranked as the 22nd-most water stressed country in a report last August by the World Resources Institute, a watchdog of global resources. 

Farm income is volatile in semi-arid Morocco where climate change has caused droughts and summer flash floods in some areas.

SEE ALSO:

Vinci to build $190mn water treatment plant in Phnom Penh

Melbourne Water: Supplying water services safely

Ferrovial awarded Texas water treatment plant contracts worth $312mn

Read the latest issue of Construction Global here

American aid agency USAID notes that many rural communities rely on a single water source, and that the “lack of a functioning sanitation network and wastewater treatment system causes scarce water resources to become contaminated and unsuitable for multipurpose use”.

Water demand has surged in recent years especially in the north because of an expansion of urban centres and industrial activity. 

Morocco’s economic growth should fall to 2.7% in 2019 from 3% in 2018 on the back of a lack of rainfall which caused a 49% drop in cereals output in 2019 compared with a year earlier, according to the central bank.

Share

Featured Articles

Cement Industry key Target of $20bn US Decarbonisation Plan

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the US Department of Energy is to invest $20bn on cleaning up US industries, including cement

Skanska Reshapes its Sustainability Team

Sweden-based sustainable construction company Skanska refreshes its sustainability team 'to better serve client and company goals'

Kingspan Group 'Cuts GHG Emissions by 65%'

Insulation specialist Kingspan Group's sustainability reports says 2023 business-wide ‘internal carbon price’ explains cuts in Scopes 1 & 2 emissions

Dubai Extends Metro as Millions Switch to Public Transport

Construction Projects

New construction contracts released for HS2 UK rail project

Construction Projects

How to lead a successful EDI migration process

Construction Projects