Water highway set to alleviate hydric stress of Rabat-Casablanca axis

RABAT - The water highway coming from Sebou River began Monday to supply its first cubic metres of water to the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam, with the aim of supplying drinking water to the Rabat-Casablanca axis and Marrakech, according to the Ministry of Equipment and Water.

The first cubic metres of water arrived from Sebou River to the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam through the two main pumping stations SP1 and SP2 located on the 66 kilometres that the water highway crosses.

The achievement of this much needed mega-project, which will be fully inaugurated in the coming weeks, required an investment of 6 billion dirhams, a budget provided by the Department of Equipment, the Ministry of Agriculture and the regions.

Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka told parliament that this project will make it possible to solve the problem of drought and its impact on water resources, especially allocated to ensuring safe drinking water for citizens in areas that know a shortage of this vital substance, particularly in cities and centres located between the two important poles of Rabat and Casablanca.

Baraka said that the supply of drinking water to Greater Casablanca is being ensured and the pressure on the Oum Er-Rbia basin is reduced by increasing the supply from the Bouregreg basin (Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah Dam) through the construction of a channel to link the two water supply systems to the north and south of Greater Casablanca.

This highway is expected to convey to the dams of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah in Rabat and El Massira in Casablanca-Settat a total capacity of 15 cubic meters of water per second, a total of 400 million cubic metres.