Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI has underlined the water challenges facing the North African country and has put up plans to tackle the crisis.
In a concerted efforts for water security, the king chaired a working session at the Royal Palace in Rabat to tackle the pressing issue of water scarcity in Morocco.
Deficit in rainfall has been the main cause of the scarcity and thus put intense pressure on the country’s water resources.
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Between September 2023 and mid-January 2024, there has been 70% deficit in rainfall compared to the usual average, the Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka remarked while presenting an overview of the current water situation in Morocco.
Additionally, a dam filling rate of 23.2% is recorded compared to 31.5% at the same period last year.
According to a statement by the Royal Office of the king, the meeting held on Tuesday was part of the continuous monitoring and high concern that the king attaches to the issue.
Some actions have already been taken. Following the High Royal Directives, particularly within the framework of the National 2020-2027 Program for Drinking and Irrigation Water Supply, several provinces and regions have been adequately supplied with drinking water in recent years.
This is the case, in particular, with the interconnection of the Sebou and Bouregreg basins and the commissioning of the desalination plants in Agadir and Safi/Jorf Lasfar.
The Minister of Equipment and Water then presented before the King the emergency action plan developed by the relevant departments to address the current situation and ensure the supply of drinking water, particularly in cities, centres, and localities that are deficient or likely to be deficient.
This emergency action plan presented before the Sovereign, and implemented at the level of the Kingdom’s various hydraulic systems, provides for a variety of measures including, in the short term, the optimal mobilization of resources at the level of dams, wells, and existing desalination plants, the implementation of urgent water supply and distribution facilities, and, where necessary, possible measures to restrict irrigation water or distribution flows.
At the same time, and in accordance with the High Royal Directives, efforts will be made to accelerate ongoing projects with medium-term impact, particularly ongoing dams, the interconnection between the Sebou, Bouregreg, and Oum Rabia basins, the national program for seawater desalination plants, the program for reuse of treated wastewater, and the program for water conservation in drinking water and irrigation networks.
The King urged the relevant departments and organizations to redouble their vigilance and efforts to meet the challenge of water security and ensure the supply of drinking water throughout all localities of the Kingdom.
In this regard, the Sovereign invited the government to establish transparent and regular communication with citizens regarding developments in the water situation and the plan of emergency measures that will be implemented, while strengthening public awareness of water conservation and the fight against all forms of waste or irresponsible use of this vital resource.
This working session was attended by Advisor to the King, Fouad Ali El Himma, the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, the Minister of Water and Equipment, Nizar Baraka, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, the Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, and the General Director of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, Abderrahim El Hafidi.
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