2024-07-25 13:53:08
Chaired by the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, this CA was devoted to the approval of the Agency’s accounts for the year 2022 and to the examination of the results of its action, as well as the progress of the implementation of its 2023 program.
During this meeting, the Agency’s action programme and its draft budget for the year 2024 were also presented.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Baraka stressed that the holding of this CA in the city of Taroudant takes place in a particular context, recalling in this regard the repercussions of the Al Haouz earthquake on this region as well as the efforts deployed at all levels to overcome its consequences.
He added that the work of this CA is taking place in an exceptional climatic situation marked by an increased lack of precipitation impacting the supply of drinking water as well as agricultural activities in the region.
In this regard, Mr. Baraka affirmed that the government is working, at all levels, to address the water issue, in application of the High Royal Directives on this subject and taking into account the specificities of the Souss-Massa region, which is an agricultural region par excellence.
In this same context, and after giving an overview of the important achievements of the Kingdom in the field of water, the minister specified that the Souss-Massa basin was marked during the past year by the continuation of the work of raising the Mokhtar Soussi dam in the province of Taroudant, to reach a capacity of 281 million m³.
This project, the work of which has reached 42%, will secure the supply of drinking water and improve irrigation in the Souss-Massa region, he stressed, noting that it is also a question of continuing the work on the Tamri dam in the prefecture of Agadir Ida-Outanane, which has reached 23%.
With a capacity of 204 million m³, this structure will secure the supply of drinking water, mobilize irrigation water and ensure protection against flooding.
This also involves the operation of the seawater desalination plant in Chtouka Ait Baha, which has made it possible to continue to meet the drinking water needs of Greater Agadir in a normal manner and to compensate for the deficit in the Chtouka Ait Baha groundwater table.
In addition, the minister specified that the Souss-Massa basin, like the rest of the basins of the Kingdom, has experienced episodes of successive droughts in recent years, noting that the hydrological year 2022-2023 is the peak year in terms of lack of precipitation, compared to the annual average.
He stated, in this sense, that the precipitation deficit reached 75%, noting that the very high temperatures recorded have largely contributed to the acceleration of the evaporation phenomenon at the level of the reservoirs of the dams in the region.
Thus, the filling rate of the basin structures as of December 31, 2023 was the lowest, recording 10%.
To address this critical situation, Mr. Baraka confirmed the programming and acceleration of the implementation of a set of structuring projects in the Souss-Massa region, within the framework of the National Drinking Water and Irrigation Program 2020-2027, which concern the extension of the Chtouka Ait Baha seawater desalination plant for the drinking water supply of Agadir and irrigation, the construction of the new desalination plant on Aglo beach to secure the supply of the city of Tiznit and related centers, the construction of seven small dams, the continuation of the equipment of drilling and the completion of reconnaissance drilling work and the completion of projects for the reuse of treated wastewater for watering green spaces.
On the sidelines of this CA, partnership agreements were signed, notably on flood protection in a group of provinces in the basin, the implementation of integrated projects in the water sector in the province of Sidi Ifni, the rehabilitation and improvement of the attractiveness of the city of Tiznit, the construction and equipment of hydrological stations in the action zone of the Souss-Massa Basin Agency, and the completion of feasibility studies for small and medium dams in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region.
A concession contract for bottling water from the Ain Boutabouqalt spring in the province of Tiznit was also approved.
Furthermore, Mr. Baraka, the Wali of the Souss-Massa region, Governor of the Agadir Ida Outanane prefecture, Said Amzazi, and the President of the Souss-Massa region, Karim Achengli, signed a partnership agreement for the implementation of road projects and the upgrading of road infrastructure for a total amount of 2.68 billion dirhams.
Subsequently, the Minister of Equipment and Water made a field visit to inquire about the progress of the implementation of some structuring hydraulic projects in the Souss-Massa region.
2024-07-25 13:53:08