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Rabat – King Mohammed VI is expected to inaugurate the Zerrar water dam, 30 kilometers away from the coastal city of Essaouira, today, January 15.
Authorities are preparing for the King’s visit across the region, a source from the Ministry of Interior told Morocco World News (MWN).
Crowds of people wishing to see the King are gathering by the national road between Essaouria and Agadir, waving flags and pictures of the King as they wait to welcome the monarch.
All of Essaouira’s blue taxis have are ready for the visit with ribbons in the colors of the Moroccan flag on their bonnets.
The construction of the dam began in November 2008.
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The dam is one of the largest in the country with 74 meters in height and a 67 m3 capacity.
The project is expected to achieve 1,500 hectares of drinking water by 2030.
The inauguration comes amid talks on the preservation of drinking water in the country.
On January 13, King Mohammed VI chaired a signing ceremony for the implementation of the 2020-2027 national program for drinking and irrigation water supply.
The agreement defines both the implementation and financing of the MAD 115.4 billion program.
The program aims to strengthen Morocco’s drinking water supply to guarantee water security in the face of climate change.
Morocco’s government announced in a December 2019 statement that the storage capacity of Morocco dams has now reached 7.2 billion m3, a fill rate of 46.2%,
The 2019 level is lower than the one reported during the same period in 2018, when stored volumes of water stood at 9.44 billion cubic meters, representing a storage capacity of 62.5%, the statement added.
The national plan seeks to increase efforts to overcome water challenges, including the low level of water storage capacity.
In addition to the dam, the King will also inaugurate a handicraft complex in the city of Essaouira, as well as “Bayt Dakira,” a museum showcasing the history of the Moroccan Jewish community, the source from the Ministry of Interior added.
The King will also inaugurate a new section in the Essaouira Port allocated to mending large ships, the source added.
Essaouira hosts thousands of Jews annually to celebrate the Hiloula of Rabbi Haim Pinto on the anniversary of his death in the Jewish cemetery of the city, in September.
A Jewish community estimated at 1,800 live across Morocco, mostly living in walled citadels, or mellahs.
