Marrakech – As Morocco endures its sixth consecutive year of drought, authorities are scrambling to find new ways to supply the population with drinking water.
Among the solutions being deployed is the desalination of seawater, a method whose environmental impacts are far from trivial, according to a recent report by French media outlet Vert Eco.
Morocco is facing a water crisis, with a 70% rainfall deficit recorded in January compared to the average of the last 30 years, the Ministry of Water and Equipment stated. Soaring summer temperatures reaching up to 50°C are drying up aquifers and threatening rivers.
In response, the kingdom aims to produce 1.7 billion cubic meters of desalinated water annually by 2030 through some 30 plants, enough to supply drinking water to half the population, King Mohammed VI announced in July.
Currently, 11 desalination facilities are operational, including one in the northeastern province of Al Hoceima that can generate up to 17,280 cubic meters per day.
However, the Vert Eco report highlights the adverse effects of desalination on marine biodiversity.
The brine discharge – a highly concentrated salt substance mixed with chemicals used in the treatment process – is released back into the sea.
“In the long term, this affects the salt concentration of the coastal system,” said Julie Trottier, research director at France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
Reduced oxygen levels can impair the ocean’s ability to capture CO2 and harm the lifespan, immune systems and reproduction of certain species.
Furthermore, desalination is an energy-intensive process. The Al Hoceima plant consumes 3.1 kWh per cubic meter, nearly 20 million kWh annually, equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 20,800 Moroccans over 12 months.
With most electricity still generated from fossil fuels, a study by the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) estimates desalination emits at least 120 million tons of CO2 globally each year.
While Morocco is exploring renewable energy solutions, including a planned facility in Casablanca set to run entirely on green power, experts warn desalination ultimately represents a maladaptation to climate change.
“It’s as if you’re rushing towards a cliff, and instead of hitting the brakes, you hit the accelerator,” Trottier cautioned. The research director is an advocate for sustainable water management practices that recognize the planet’s limits.
As countries worldwide increasingly turn to desalination, with some 22,000 plants now operating globally, the Vert Eco report raises crucial questions about the sustainability and long-term impacts of this “techno-solutionist” approach to water scarcity.
While desalination offers a lifeline for parched populations, it may also be deepening the very climate crisis it seeks to alleviate.
