How Desalination and Infrastructure Are Reshaping Morocco’s Water Security

Morocco is facing one of the worst droughts in its modern history, marked by years of below-average rainfall that have dramatically depleted dam reservoirs and put both rural and urban communities under stress. In response, the government has embarked on a massive, multi-faceted strategy to secure water resources for both cities and farmlands, balancing immediate needs with long-term sustainability.

A centerpiece of Morocco’s strategy is the rapid expansion of seawater desalination. The country currently operates seventeen desalination plants, with four more under construction and another nine planned by the end of the decade. Once these projects are completed, Morocco’s total desalination capacity will reach 1.7 billion cubic meters per year. Plants in key coastal cities such as Casablanca, Agadir, and Dakhla are set to provide reliable drinking water to millions, relieving pressure on dwindling reservoirs and underground aquifers.

This focus on desalination is closely tied to innovative funding approaches, including public-private partnerships that have drawn in international investment. The forthcoming Casablanca plant, for example, is poised to become Africa’s largest desalination facility, leveraging both government support and foreign capital to ensure long-term sustainability. While desalination remains too expensive for direct use in large-scale agriculture like wheat, its impact is crucial: by supplying cities with drinking water, more dam and surface water can be redirected to irrigate key agricultural zones inland.

Beyond desalination, Morocco has invested heavily in new canal systems and dam upgrades. A major water transfer project, partly funded by the United Arab Emirates, connects the more water-rich Northwest to urban and farming areas around Rabat and Casablanca, with future extensions planned toward agricultural heartlands such as Doukala and Tadla. The government has also moved to store more water in existing reservoirs and invest in infrastructure that reduces leakage and waste.

To power these water projects, Morocco is integrating renewable energy, notably a 1,400-kilometer power line designed to bring southern solar electricity to coastal desalination facilities. This shift to renewables is expected to lower the long-term cost of producing potable water and further reduce the environmental footprint of Morocco’s drought response.

The country’s agricultural policy has also been reshaped by necessity. The government has introduced restrictions on water-intensive crops such as melons, banning them outright in some regions and slashing cultivation in others. While these measures protect groundwater and ensure more sustainable use of scarce resources, they can temporarily impact farmers’ incomes, underlining the difficult trade-offs required to ensure long-term resilience.

The impact of these combined efforts is being felt in both urban and rural areas. In cities like Casablanca and Agadir, the expansion of desalinated water supply has reduced the frequency of water cuts and the need for families to collect water by hand, even as drought continues. For rural communities and farmers in regions such as Souss, Tadla, and Zagora, improved water transfer systems and restored dam supplies have provided a critical lifeline for crops and livestock. While the restrictions on some crops have challenged traditional farming practices, they have also spurred interest in more sustainable agriculture and innovative irrigation techniques.

Morocco’s comprehensive response to drought illustrates the potential of integrated investment in infrastructure, technology, and policy reform. By expanding desalination, upgrading water transfer systems, promoting renewable energy, and reforming agriculture, Morocco is laying the groundwork for greater water security, economic stability, and community resilience in the face of a changing climate.

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