Morocco’s ambitious push to meet 60 percent of its water needs through desalination by 2030 has sparked a critical drive toward industrial self-sufficiency in this vital sector. As the country battles its seventh consecutive year of drought, developing domestic expertise has become essential for adapting solutions to local conditions and reducing long-term costs.
The kingdom aims to reach 1.2 billion cubic meters of desalination capacity by 2027, a significant leap from current production of 350.3 million cubic meters. However, projects face substantial challenges related to construction expenses, maintenance requirements, and particularly energy consumption.
While desalination technology remains dominated by the United States, Japan, and South Korea, Moroccan operators have progressively increased local integration rates. Several initiatives showcase this evolution toward self-reliance.
The Morocco Agribusiness Water Coalition, founded by Coca-Cola, Driscoll’s, and Centrale Danone, represents the first private sector industrial coalition for collective water innovation. Though industry accounts for only 20 percent of water demand, agribusiness sectors face acute dependence on water resources. The coalition will launch a two-phase implementation plan in 2026, focusing initially on establishing strategic and operational committees before deploying optimization initiatives and pilot projects.
OCP Green Water, the mining giant’s water subsidiary, has achieved 60 to 70 percent local integration across its desalination projects, covering everything from design to construction. The company projects to reach 80 percent local integration in the near future. OCP has already transitioned to 100 percent non-conventional water sources across its sites, achieving this milestone two years ahead of schedule.
Watec, a fully Moroccan operator controlling the entire desalination cycle, has produced over 100 stations across Morocco’s twelve regions in three years. These facilities generate more than 40 million cubic meters annually. Currently operating at 40 to 60 percent local integration, Watec advocates for building a structured industrial ecosystem around desalination to eventually achieve completely Morocco-made stations.
