Morocco sets a new standard in water management for Africa

Wednesday 21 May 2025 - 15:10

Morocco has established a groundbreaking civil engineering standard for Africa with the perforation of the Al Massira dam, addressing the urgent issue of water stress in the Marrakech region, as reported by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

This unprecedented project serves as a model for effective water management solutions across the continent. Engineers successfully drilled through the Al Massira dam—Morocco’s second-largest water reservoir, with a capacity of approximately 2.6 billion cubic meters—to create a new water intake that will supply drinking water to Marrakech’s two million residents.

The newly created intake will deliver water via pipeline to the city at a rate of seven cubic meters per second. This complex operation required the installation of a 40-meter-high cofferdam, weighing over 250 tons underwater on the dam wall, to create a watertight workspace for the drilling operations.

Engineers then cut a conduit 2.5 meters in diameter and 10 meters deep through the reinforced concrete wall, extracting a 100-ton block of concrete in the process. The intricate project engaged both Moroccan and international experts, with dozens of engineers, divers, and technicians collaborating in shifts over several months to complete the demanding task.

This initiative is part of a €150 million program funded by AfDB aimed at enhancing access to drinking water for Marrakech. The city's rapid urban and tourist development has generated a rising demand for water, making secure access essential in a region where climate change poses significant threats to water resources.

The Bank has highlighted that this technical solution “has proven its worth and can be replicated where necessary in Morocco and other African countries.” Since the 1970s, AfDB has maintained a strategic partnership with Morocco in the water sector, financing operations totaling over $1.5 billion.

Morocco’s ambitious dam policy traces back to the late King Hassan II, who initiated a comprehensive program in 1967 aimed at irrigating one million hectares by 2000. Known as the “Builder of Dams,” King Hassan II increased the number of dams in Morocco from just 13 at independence in 1956 to over 100 by the end of his reign, expanding storage capacity from 2 billion cubic meters to 15 billion cubic meters.

This legacy has been furthered under King Mohammed VI, who has expanded the nation’s dam network to 149 dams with a collective storage capacity surpassing 18.6 billion cubic meters. Morocco’s water initiatives have garnered international recognition, with global leaders expressing admiration for the country's strategic approach. French President Emmanuel Macron, during his October 2024 visit to Morocco, remarked on the country's adaptive water strategy, urging France to draw inspiration from it.

Recently, Morocco's water infrastructure received a significant boost through a historic $14 billion megadeal with the United Arab Emirates, marking the largest private investment in the country’s modern history. This agreement includes the establishment of four desalination facilities across Morocco, collectively producing 900 million cubic meters of water annually using exclusively renewable energy. Additionally, the project features a 1,400-kilometer electricity transmission network linking Dakhla to Casablanca.

In the wake of recent rainfall, King Mohammed VI reviewed Morocco’s water management recovery plan during a ministerial council in Rabat. Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Bouari reported that the recent rains had a “very positive impact” on cereal production as well as on autumn and spring crops and fruit trees. Minister of Water Nizar Baraka added that the country’s average dam filling rate currently stands at 40.3%, allowing for the mobilization of 6.7 billion cubic meters of water—equivalent to one and a half years of potable water consumption.

Spain has also reinforced its collaboration with Morocco in water infrastructure, committing €340 million toward the construction of Africa’s largest desalination plant in Casablanca. This facility, budgeted at €620 million and awarded to a consortium led by Spanish company Acciona, will provide 300 million cubic meters of water annually for over seven million residents in the Casablanca metropolitan area.