Rabat – Morocco is pushing ahead with its seawater desalination efforts, aiming to reach an annual production capacity of 1.7 billion cubic meters by 2030.
The Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, shared the update on Wednesday in Rabat after a high-level meeting on water strategy led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
Baraka explained that the meeting focused on the National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020–2027.
Alongside the progress on desalination, the program also includes the reshaping of some dam plans and a push to complete construction on priority sites.
Despite recent signs of relief, Morocco continues to face high pressure on its water reserves.
Temperatures have risen sharply in recent days, putting added strain on available supplies.
Baraka said that while some improvement can be seen, many rural areas and villages still deal with limited access to drinking water.
To address the shortfall, authorities have brought in more water tankers and launched urgent actions tied to dam infrastructure and water management.
The minister said his department, working with other agencies, has taken steps to secure stable water access during the summer. These efforts include mobilizing local and regional resource and wasting less water.
In January, Morocco’s agricultural dams held 3.71 billion cubic meters of water which stands for a filling rate of 26%, according to Ahmed El Bouari, Minister of Agriculture.
He also pointed to Morocco’s efforts to accelerate seawater desalination projects, which looks to produce over 1.7 billion cubic meters of desalinated water by 2030 to support coastal cities and ease the strain on traditional water sources, which can be redirected to agriculture.
Additionally, a key project is the Dakhla desalination plant, which boasts an annual capacity of 37 million cubic meters and is 70% complete.
