Algeria facing water stress: innovative solutions for a sustainable future

Algeria is facing one of its greatest challenges: the supply of drinking water. To deal with this growing water stress, the government has introduced innovative solutions through ambitious projects aimed at securing access to drinking water for the Algerian population.

To the west of Oran, the Cap Blanc seawater desalination mega-plant represents a strategic investment. Oran is currently supplied by three plants, but this is still not enough to cover the needs of a population of 2.5 million inhabitants, not to mention the industrial sector. The Cap Blanc project, which is being built on a fast-track basis, will boost the drinking water supply to Oran and other western wilayas. Scheduled to be operational in December 2024, this infrastructure will be brought into service just 25 months after the work began.

Mouloud Hachlaf, Communications Director of the AEC, emphasises the importance of this initiative: “We anticipated the drought with an initial programme that implemented 14 plants producing 2.2 million m³ per day, or 18% of the drinking water for citizens. By 2050, the Sahel, which includes Algeria, will lose 20% of its rainfall. We are therefore developing a complementary programme to increase our drinking water desalination capacity from 18% to 42%.”

Seawater desalination is often criticised for its cost and environmental impact. Algeria is aware of this and is committed to reducing this impact by incorporating an energy mix into its plants, including solar panels, to make this infrastructure more environmentally friendly.

Other similar projects are also under way, such as the Mostaganem plant, inaugurated in 2011, which produces 200,000 m³ of drinking water a day. Another new plant is planned at Khadra, 72 km east of Mostaganem, which should produce 300,000 m³ of drinking water a day, 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 the water meets Algerian and WHO standards.”

However, desalination alone will not be enough to cover all Algeria’s drinking water needs. The country is also seeking to boost its supply by reusing treated wastewater, as shown by the example of Médéa. In this region 90 kilometres from the capital Algiers, fruit-growing farms use treated water for irrigation, enabling them to cope with years of drought.

Abdelkader Benkorbi, agricultural engineer, explains: “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 create a future that is more able to cope with the climate challenges ahead.