ONEE Earmarks MAD 2.5 Bln for Drinking Water Supply Project in Marrakech

Marrakech – The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) has recently commissioned a major project to supply drinking water to the city of Marrakech and neighboring towns and localities from the Al Massira dam, for a total amount of 2.50 billion dirhams.

This major project is part of the 2020-2027 National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation (PNAEPI), signed before His Majesty King Mohammed VI, said ONEE in a statement.

This project will produce 216,000 m3 per day of drinking water and consisted mainly of the realization of a raw water intake by perforation of the body of the Al Massira dam, a de-sludging station, a treatment station, three pumping stations with a combined power of 27 MVA and seven tanks with a total capacity of 93,000 m3. In addition, a pipeline of about 125 km with a diameter varying between 1300 and 2000 mm has been installed.

The project also includes the construction of a 225/22 KV transformer station with a power of 40 MVA and approximately 28 km of VHV/MV power lines.

The water intake achieved by perforating the Al Massira dam is a real technical achievement and a first of its kind on the African continent and among the rare dam perforation operations worldwide. This operation will be duplicated at other dams in Morocco.

This major project will secure drinking water supply by 2040 for the city of Marrakech and neighboring towns and localities (Skhour Rehamna, Ben Guerir, Sidi Bou Othmane, Tamensourt and rural populations on the Skhour Rehamna-Marrakech axis).

It will also contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the populations and to accompany the socio-economic development of the region.