MOROCCO – The Moroccan government plans to mobilize 2.34 billion Moroccan dirhams (nearly US$249 million) to support the recycling of wastewater for the irrigation of green spaces and agricultural land
The funds to be sourced from donors and partners will be invested in the National Shared Liquid Sanitation Program (PNAM), which aims to reuse treated wastewater in response to water stress.
This is the revised version of the National Liquid Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Program (PNA), which was launched in 2005 to improve sanitation and preserve watersheds from pollution in several communes.
The Moroccan government expects to provide 100 million m3 of treated wastewater to Moroccans per year by 2027.
By 2050, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 340 million m3 per year, representing an 80% treatment rate in Morocco.
In 2020, the rate of water treatment in Morocco already exceeded 50%, compared to 7% in 2006, according to the Moroccan authorities.
This result was achieved through the implementation of the NAP.
With the NAP, the Moroccan government wants to implement 87 projects, 22 of which concern the watering of golf courses.
This process has become common in Morocco where 60% of the Kingdom’s 44 golf courses are currently irrigated with treated wastewater.
This alternative is justified by the decrease in rainfall, making it difficult to irrigate green spaces with fresh water.
Moroccan agricultural sector is also threatened by climate change, a phenomenon that is degrading the soil and drying up water resources, essential for agriculture.
Under the PNAM, 65 resilience projects will be implemented, also contributing to the mitigation of water stress through the improved water supply.
To provide water to the population, the Moroccan government is also focusing on the desalination of seawater and the construction of river dams.
In January 2022, the Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka announced the mobilization of 3 billion Moroccan dirhams (about US$322 million) to build new water reservoirs.
Liked this article? Subscribe to DealStreet Africa News, our regular email newsletter with the latest news, deals, and insights from Africa’s business, economy, and more. SUBSCRIBE