PM urges for stepping up achievement of water-related projects

Moroccan Premier, Abbas El Fassi has called for stepping up the implementation of the projects related to water in order to provide drinking water and irrigation needs, a press release of the PM office said.

   El Fassi, who chaired on Friday a meeting with the committee in charge of water management, stressed the importance of ensuring drinking water to the urban and rural areas while taking stock of the water scarcity, the growing demand on water and the risks of pollution and floods.

   He also urged for promoting water resources, protecting residence areas and equipment against floods, and conducting studies research on the use of non-traditional water resources.

   He deemed it necessary to breath a new life for the achievement of the programs adopted by the commission, which had mainly called for improving coordination in the sector of water, establishing funding mechanisms for priority projects, and implementing the national plan of water…

   Morocco is planning to build three water dams in 2009, with a capacity of 691 million cubic meters which another five large-capacity dams, and 21 small and medium size dams with a capacity of 146.5 million cubic meters are under construction.

   The global volume of water in Morocco is estimated today at 22 billion cubic meters – 18 billions are surface water – 12 percent of which is used to ensure drinking water supply, while 88 percent is used for irrigation.

   In 2008, Morocco spent MAD 20 bln ($2.5 bln) on water-related public investments, including MAD 5 bln ($550 mln) as subsidy from the State, which represents 3.6% of the GDP, highest level among Maghreb country.

   Since the 70s, Morocco has launched a strategy to build dams, which resulted in the construction of a total of 125 dams, with a global capacity of 17 billion cubic meters that allow for the irrigation of a million hectares and provide drinking water.

MAP