Morocco is set to receive US $45m loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the development of a drinking water supply projects in the country.

The loan agreement was inked between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Office national de l’électricité et de l’eau potable (Onee). It is a complementary to an initial financing granted to Morocco in 2019, as part of Onee’s 2019-2023 capital plan for the “water” activity.

The funds will be used to build new drinking water supply infrastructure in the Kingdom. The Moroccan public body also plans to rehabilitate and expand the capacity of drinking water production and distribution facilities in several localities in Morocco.

In Laayoune, the capital city of the Morocco, a new seawater desalination plant is expected to come on stream. The plant will have a capacity of 26,000 m3 per day. The facility is expected to bring the city’s installed capacity to 52,000 m3 per day.

Water availability

With regard to wastewater, Onee is developing several initiatives, including the construction of the Tarfaya wastewater treatment plant. The new facility will provide pre-treatment, biological treatment and advanced tertiary treatment of wastewater, including ultraviolet disinfection and sludge dewatering. The drying beds will also be designed to reduce the sewage sludge to a dry solids content, which will be safely transferred off-site for disposal.

According to World Resources Institute (WRI), the country’s water availability is less than 1,700 m3 per year per person. This situation places Morocco on the list of states with “high water stress” and the phenomenon is a consequence of drought, caused by climate change.

In addition to the modernization of existing installations, the Moroccan government is relying on non-conventional water resources to improve Morocco’s drinking water supply. These include the desalination of sea water and the use of treated wastewater for irrigation.