Facing its seventh consecutive year of drought, Morocco is turning to circular economy principles to strengthen urban water resilience. At the 2025 Stockholm Water Week, Moroccan officials, researchers, and international partners unveiled the Morocco Urban Circular Water Resilience Initiative, backed by Germany’s Federal Ministry and GIZ. The initiative highlights innovative water reuse and conservation efforts in cities like Marrakech, Safi, and Kenitra.
With per capita water availability now at just 606 cubic meters annually—well below the UN’s water scarcity threshold—urbanization pressures and climate extremes are straining Morocco’s water systems. In response, the government is investing in:
- 17 major dams and 146 smaller ones
- 16 desalination plants
- 197 wastewater treatment facilities
By 2027, Morocco aims to reuse 5 million cubic meters of treated wastewater and desalinate 1.7 million cubic meters annually, supported by a “water highway” to transfer resources from the north to the arid south.
In Marrakech, traditional underground canals known as khattarates are being preserved alongside modern irrigation systems. Since 2010, treated wastewater has irrigated parks, golf courses, and palm groves, with plans to expand to industrial use. A municipal audit aims to cut water use in public buildings by 45% through efficiency upgrades.
Safi’s phosphate giant OCP is leading industrial-scale circularity with its Green Water Program, a $4.4 billion initiative to deliver 560 million cubic meters of desalinated water and 50 million cubic meters of treated wastewater by 2030.
At Kenitra’s Ibn Tofail University, a pilot project treats and reuses 400 cubic meters of wastewater daily using advanced membrane filtration. The purified water is delivered directly to plant roots via buried porous tubes, achieving higher efficiency than conventional drip irrigation.
“Nothing is lost, nothing is wasted, everything is transformed,” said project manager Sakina Belhamidi.
These efforts reflect Morocco’s growing commitment to sustainable water management, blending traditional wisdom with cutting-edge technology to address one of the country’s most urgent challenges.
(Source: Barlaman Today)