Morocco - Country Commercial Guide
Water
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Overview

Morocco has experienced annual rain deficits since 2015 causing weak runoffs, a reduction in water supply to dams, and diminished recharge of groundwater.  In regions where the demand relies exclusively on local supply systems, successive drought years have caused chronic shortages.  According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), Morocco ranked 22nd among countries most at-risk of water shortage.  Morocco’s water per capita is currently 606 m3 instead of 2,560m3 in the 1960’s, according to Minister of Infrastructure and Water Nizar Baraka.  This ratio is expected to decline to 500m3/capita/year by 2030.

The General Directorate of Water, within the Ministry of Equipment and Water determines governmental priorities and invests in large infrastructure projects within the sector like dams, pipelines, and canal systems.  ONEE (the National Office of Electricity and Water) is the national water and electricity utility, and the company that invests in major strategic and structural projects for potable water and wastewater.  A state-owned company, ONEE also commonly administers public tenders for the sector.  In addition to ONEE’s role in the water sector, private companies in Rabat, Casablanca, and Tangier are responsible for potable water delivery and distribution.

To rebuild and restore water availability across the country, Morocco implemented a “National Water Plan” (PNE) in 2020, setting out an ambitious action plan to invest nearly $40 billion into the water sector. Last May, King Mohammed VI issued instructions to allocate an additional budget in support of the National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020-2027 (a subset of the National Water Plan)

Leading Sub-sectors

  • Dam Engineering and Construction
  • Desalination Plants
  • Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
  • Water Supply and Distribution
  • Water Security
  • Groundwater Prospection
  • Drinking Water in Rural Areas 
  • Water Transfer Networks
  • Management Software
  • Green Infrastructure
  • Training

Opportunities

The funding for the National Water Plan and its subset the National Priority Program for Drinking Water and Irrigation (NPP) received approval in January 2020. The NPP, covering the period of 2020-2027 with a budget of $11 billion, attempts to reduce climate impacts and guarantee water security through:

  • The construction of 20 dams, with a total capacity of 5.38 billion cubic meters.  Thus far, five large dams have been launched with a total cost of $658 million. Morocco has 149 large dams with a total capacity of 19.1 billion m3 and 137 small/medium dams.
  • The search for new groundwater to strengthen the supply of drinking water (the Department of Water has committed to funding $80 million while ONEE will contribute $56 million).
  • The construction of three new desalination stations for a total production capacity of 243,300 m3/day.   The Casablanca desalination plant construction will start by the end of 2023 with a goal to be in operation by 2027.
  • A hydro-agricultural development project to safeguard the Saiss plain through the construction of a canal and a water transfer network from the Mdez dam.
  • Securing potable water supply in rural areas by ensuring 160 potable water centers are fully equipped, and by upgrading an additional 659 centers to supply around 1.2 million inhabitants. Access to potable water in rural areas reached 98.5% for infrastructure and buildings while individual connections do not exceed 44%;
  • Implementing the Wastewater Reuse for the Irrigation of Green Spaces plan, which includes treating and reusing wastewater in 128 cities and urban centers, as well as connecting more than 1,200 rural areas to wastewater networks.

A second phase of investment is an extension of the “Priority Water Program”, and will focus on management, treatment, and storage of water.  This plan will focus on improving the water supply through:

  • The construction of dams: building 50 large dams, aiming at increasing storage capacity to 32 billion cubic meters by 2050.
  • The connection of hydraulic basins: Inter-basin water transfer projects are key to guaranteeing a flexible and integrated water management between areas with abundant water resources (in northern Morocco) and less abundant areas (inland and southern Morocco). (Note: Minister Baraka reported late July 2023 that the interconnection project between the basins of Sebou and Bouregreg is “99 percent finalized”. End note)
  • The desalination of seawater.
  • The integration of all rural centers into structured drinking water supply system.
  • The provision of the water resources necessary for the development of sustainable agriculture; and
  • The preservation of ecosystems and the fight against pollution.

Resources

  • Water and Electricity National Office (O.N.E.E): www.one.org.ma

  • Department of Water: http://www.equipement.gov.ma/.