The priority actions mainly focused on the installation of monobloc seawater desalination stations as part of an emergency plan to combat the effects of drought and water shortage.
These stations, three in number in the province of Safi, are part of a series of short-term measures aimed at guaranteeing the supply of drinking water in areas at risk of deficit, primarily the areas most confronted with water stress.
With a total capacity of 25 liters per second, the stations were set up thanks to funding of 48 million DH provided by the Ministry of the Interior in the municipalities of Ayir (10 liters per second), Lamaachate (10 liters per second) and El Beddouza (5 liters per second).
The volume of water distributed by these seawater desalination units, supervised by the Autonomous Water and Electricity Distribution Authority (RADEEMA) of Safi, reached 32 million liters until August fluent.
The seawater desalination process goes through several phases, namely water extraction followed by filtration to remove particles, algae and debris, before proceeding to reverse osmosis desalination, where the salt and impurities are separated from the water using membranes, producing pure water.
Subsequently, minerals are added to the water to improve its quality and taste, just as chlorine is used to disinfect the water before storage and distribution.
In order to guarantee a supply of drinking water, particularly in douars facing access difficulties or flow problems, the Ministry of the Interior has made available 12 tank trucks as well as 300 plastic tanks.
According to Yassine El Meliari, engineer at RADEEMA in Safi, the construction of the three mobile stations is part of the implementation of the national emergency plan to combat the effects of water stress and the scarcity of precipitation, initiated in accordance with the High directives from HM King Mohammed VI.
These stations, he continued, ensure a production of 1,800 tonnes per day meeting the drinking water needs of more than 45,000 people living in rural areas and neighboring douars of the three local authorities.
In this regard, he indicated that RADEEMA will set up 12 stations to eliminate metals from brackish water and produce drinking water, noting that these will be divided into two units with flow rates of 10 liters and 5 liters. per second, and ten stations with a flow rate of 3 liters per second each, in the various local authorities of the province.
The total cost is estimated at 1.2 billion dirhams, financed by the Ministry of the Interior and the Marrakech-Safi Regional Council, the objective being to provide this vital resource to more than 97,000 people in the province of Safi.
Furthermore, Mr. El Meliari urged residents to rationalize water consumption which, according to him, will guarantee the sustainability of water resources and limit the effects of drought and water shortage.
The inhabitants of the Frafra douar in the rural commune of Oulad Salmane expressed, in statements to MAP, their satisfaction with this laudable initiative to combat water shortage due to successive periods of drought and exhaustion. groundwater and wells.
They, on this occasion, expressed their deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the great concern shown by the Sovereign to rural populations in order to improve their living conditions and help them cope with the effects of drought.
To respond to the challenges linked to the water problem, in accordance with the High Royal Guidelines, a series of strategic projects was launched as part of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program (PNAEPI) for a period of execution ranging from 2020 to 2027 and an initial cost of 115 billion dirhams.
This approach involved, in particular, the acquisition of 44 desalination and demineralization monoblocks as well as the launch of 219 monoblock stations to mobilize a volume of more than 70Mm3/year with a view to strengthening the security of drinking water in localities located in rural areas. .
The program also involved the acquisition of 1,209 tank trucks and 9,717 plastic tanks and the mobilization of a significant budget for the rental of tank trucks with a view to ensuring the supply of drinking water to a population of around 3 million people. inhabitants located in rural areas affected by water deficit.