Investing in Water Resilience and Efficiency
Morocco has recently made a significant advancement in enhancing its drinking water systems by securing a financing package of up to €250 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This funding is earmarked for the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) to modernize infrastructure and improve service delivery from 2025 to 2030. This investment comes at a crucial moment as Morocco grapples with increasing water stress due to prolonged droughts, a decline in rainfall, and rising demand from urban areas, agriculture, and industrial sectors. Therefore, the enhancement of existing water systems is becoming as critical as the development of new water sources.
One of the primary objectives of this initiative is to tackle the issue of non-revenue water—water that is lost before reaching consumers due to leaks, theft, or metering inaccuracies. In several regions of Morocco, these losses are alarmingly high, which exacerbates the pressure on the already scarce water resources. By effectively addressing both physical and commercial losses, Morocco can optimize the utilization of its current supplies, a strategy that can often be more financially viable than investing in new infrastructure such as dams or desalination facilities.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Climate Resilience
Water supply systems are particularly energy-intensive, especially in Morocco, where water must frequently be pumped over long distances or lifted to higher elevations. This program also emphasizes the reduction of energy consumption. The investments will incorporate high-efficiency pumps, improved pressure management, and advanced control systems such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). These technological upgrades not only help lower operating costs but also diminish the carbon footprint associated with water services.
Moreover, enhancing energy efficiency directly contributes to the financial sustainability of utilities like ONEE, providing them the opportunity to reinvest the savings into further improvements of their systems. Climate resilience plays a pivotal role in this initiative, as Morocco faces consecutive years of drought that have led to diminishing reservoir levels and increased dependence on groundwater. In certain areas, aquifers are already facing overexploitation, making the need for adaptable water systems more urgent than ever. The new investments aim to bolster the adaptability of water systems to these fluctuating conditions, which includes enhancing operational flexibility, reinforcing infrastructure reliability, and ensuring consistent service delivery during water scarcity periods.
The EBRD has framed this program within its broader strategy to support climate-resilient infrastructure in water-stressed regions. Previous projects in Morocco have focused on modernizing irrigation systems and creating integrated water supply and wastewater management systems. The structured €250 million facility consists of a committed tranche of €120 million, with an additional €130 million available for future needs. This loan is supported by Morocco’s National Guarantee and Financing Company (SNGFE), which mitigates financial risks and encourages substantial public investment.
This funding exemplifies the longstanding partnership between Morocco and the EBRD, with the bank having financed various water-related projects in the country since 2014, thereby enhancing service delivery and infrastructure performance. The latest agreement indicates a shift in the design of water investments, where the focus is not solely on expanding supply but also on enhancing efficiency, minimizing losses, and optimizing existing resources. This collaboration also reflects broader trends in water infrastructure development across Africa, where multilateral financing is increasingly directed towards performance-based programs that emphasize measurable improvements in efficiency and sustainability.
As utilities endeavor to modernize aging infrastructure, there is a growing demand for integrated solutions that combine hardware with data-driven management systems. For Morocco, this program represents a vital and pragmatic approach to safeguarding its water supplies in an evolving climate. By mitigating losses, enhancing efficiency, and fortifying resilience, the country is striving to ensure reliable access to drinking water for both urban and rural communities.
As reported by water.fanack.com.
