The government is mobilized to provide water in a “reasonable and urgent” way to all citizens wherever they are, without neglecting commitments in terms of water supply for irrigation basins and to avoid problems of reduction in the cultivated area and those related to agricultural production, said Thursday in Rabat, the Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with Parliament, government spokesperson, Mustapha Baïtas.
Speaking at a press briefing after the Government Council, Mr. Baïtas indicated that work is underway to accelerate the implementation of water desalination projects in several regions, to strengthen the water supply in the rural world, as well as to accelerate the implementation of the irrigation saving program with a view to extending the area of irrigated surfaces, for a total cost of 123 billion dirhams (MMDH), to which add 23 billion dirhams.
The current government is in a race against time to complete the Casablanca desalination plant within a reasonable time frame, the minister stressed, adding that after commissioning, the plant will produce more than 300 million cubic meters of water and will offer the possibility of converting water from Oum Errabia for irrigation in other basins, which will contribute to the improvement of agricultural production.
And to add that at the same time, it was necessary to start the construction of the water highway which starts from the Sebou zone in its first section towards the Bouregreg basin with a budget of 6 billion dirhams, stressing that the work is progressing well and should be completed in July or August, bearing in mind that the contractual deadline has been set for October.
This project will contribute, in its first tranche, to transfer excess water from the Sebou basin to the Bouregreg basin and to the Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam, which supplies drinking water to northern Casablanca, he said. noting that this project will also contribute significantly to addressing water issues in Casablanca and Rabat.
The government has taken a series of measures, including the mobilization of unconventional water (wastewater) in order to reach 100 million cubic meters in 2027, in addition to the existence of numerous seawater desalination projects in several regions of the Kingdom, whether in the south or in Safi and El Jadida, he added.
The Minister recalled, in this sense, the working session held Tuesday in Rabat and chaired by HM King Mohammed VI, during which the Sovereign gave important Royal Guidelines with a view to accelerating the pace of construction of large dams in scheduling the construction of two additional large dams and six medium dams, which will increase the capacity of the dams by 6 billion cubic meters.
