Morocco accelerates desalination push in response to water stress

The recent $14 bln deal between Morocco’s water and electricity provider ONEE and a consortium comprising TAQA Morocco and Nareva, provides for setting up desalination plants across Morocco, in response to the country’s strategy to reduce reliance on dams and groundwater in a context of drought.

Under this deal, Morocco will add 900 million cubic meters per year of desalination capacity in many Atlantic locations.

The push is part of desalination efforts to boost annual production from 277 million to 2.3 billion cubic meters by 2040, an eightfold increase, as the country faces mounting water stress driven by climate change.

The North African nation currently operates 16 desalination plants with a combined capacity of 277 million cubic meters per year.

Five additional facilities are under construction, expected to add 430 million cubic meters annually.

In this respect, the Kingdom is building its largest desalination plant in Casablanca, set to become Africa’s largest, with a projected output of 300 million cubic meters annually, 250 million for drinking water and 50 million for irrigation. Construction began in June 2024.

Recent rainfall improved the overall dam filling rate to 40%.