One of the biggest challenges Algeria faces is its drinking water supply. To address this emergency, the State is innovating by investing in desalination and recycling of wastewater.
Algeria is facing one of its greatest challenges: the supply of drinking water. To address this growing water stress, the State has implemented innovative solutions by conducting ambitious projects aimed at securing access to drinking water for the Algerian population.
West of Oran, the mega seawater desalination plant of Cap Blanc represents a strategic investment. Oran is currently supplied by three plants, but this remains insufficient to cover the needs of a population of 2.5 million inhabitants, not to mention the industrial sector. The Cap Blanc project, whose construction is being carried out in “fast track”, will strengthen the drinking water supply of Oran as well as other wilayas in the West. Scheduled to be operational in December 2024, this infrastructure will be commissioned only 25 months after the start of work.
Mouloud Hachlaf, AEC’s communications director, underlines the importance of this initiative: “We anticipated the drought with an initial program that implemented 14 stations producing 2.2 million m³ per day, or 18% of drinking water for citizens. By 2050, the Sahel, of which Algeria is a part, will lose 20% of its rainfall. We are therefore developing a complementary program to increase our drinking water desalination capacity from 18% to 42%.”
Seawater desalination is often criticized for its cost and environmental impact. Algeria is aware of this and is committed to reducing this impact by integrating an energy mix into its stations, including solar panels, to make these infrastructures more environmentally friendly.
Other similar projects are also underway, such as the Mostaganem plant, inaugurated in 2011, which produces 200,000 m³ of drinking water per day. Another new plant is planned in Khadra, 72 km east of Mostaganem, which is expected to produce 300,000 m³ of drinking water daily, while providing protection against rising sea levels.
Farouk Elbrouz, technical director of STMM, explains: “We can control all phases of water treatment and carry out regular analyses to ensure that this water meets Algerian and WHO standards.”
However, desalination alone will not be enough to cover all of Algeria’s drinking water needs. The country is also looking to boost its supply through the reuse of treated wastewater, as demonstrated by the example of Médéa. In this region located 90 kilometers from the capital Algiers, fruit tree farms use purified water for irrigation, thus helping to cope with years of drought.
Abdelkader Benkorbi, an agricultural engineer, testifies: “We were forced to look for water, and the water from the treatment plant was our only solution.”
Algeria is banking on seawater desalination to cover 60% of its population’s water needs by 2030. Coupled with innovative wastewater treatment technologies, this strategic plan aims to design a more serene future for the climate challenges to come.
