Rabat – The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) has started operating a new seawater desalination plant to strengthen and secure the drinking water supply for Sidi Ifni and nearby areas.
These include areas in the provinces of Sidi Ifni and Tiznit, such as Aglou, Mirleft, and Arbaa Sahel, as well as rural communities in both provinces, said ONEE in a statement.
The project, which cost nearly MAD 320 million, was funded through a loan from the German Development Bank (KfW). The first phase of the project involves building a desalination plant with a daily capacity of 8,640 cubic meters (100 liters per second), which can later be expanded to 17,280 cubic meters per day (200 liters per second).
It also includes the installation of a 54-kilometer-long water pipeline, with diameters ranging from 400 to 500 millimeters.
ONEE noted that the Sidi Ifni plant uses reverse osmosis technology, which incorporates the latest energy recovery systems to optimize the cost of producing desalinated water.
The project is part of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI) 2020-2027. The agreement for this program was signed before King Mohammed VI in early 2020.
The new plant in Sidi Ifni will ensure a stable water supply for an estimated 85,000 residents and reduce pressure on the Youssef Ben Tachfine Dam, which was previously the main water source for the region.
The project is set to improve the living conditions of local communities and support economic and tourism development in the area.
ONEE has carried out other major water and sanitation projects in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region to meet the growing demand for these essential services. It stated that over the past 15 years, a total investment of MAD 900 million has been made in the region.
Several cities in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region have been struggling with frequent water cuts and shortages. This reflects the severity of Morocco’s ongoing water crisis, which has been worsened by drought and increasing demand.
