Morocco plans new water infrastructure and usage controls
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The Moroccan government is launching a program to improve water security by building infrastructure and managing demand.
Officials identified three priorities: constructing more dams and reservoirs, expanding seawater desalination, and increasing water transfers between river basins. They plan to develop around 400 water infrastructure projects and build six new desalination plants aiming to produce 1.8 billion cubic meters of desalinated water by 2031. The government also intends to better manage groundwater resources through shared agreements and extraction limits.
They will promote the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation of parks and green spaces, and review how water is allocated from dams. A new national water plan will coordinate water policy with agriculture, energy, and environmental protection. Agriculture is a key focus, with plans to expand water-efficient irrigation to cover nearly 70% of Morocco’s irrigated farmland, approximately 1.2 million hectares.
The government will also tie agricultural funding to water efficiency and shift performance measurements to focus on economic value generated per cubic meter of water. Rural communities will also benefit from expanded access to drinking water and improved sanitation facilities.
