Morocco set for new phase of water highway projectAccording to the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the proposed phase will link the Sebou and O...

Morocco set for new phase of water highway project
According to the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the proposed phase will link the Sebou and Oum Er-Rbia basins across roughly 300 kilometres, with the system designed to transfer nearly 800 million cubic metres of water annually. The project is expected to strengthen drinking-water supplies in Settat, Berrechid and areas south of Casablanca, while also supporting agricultural production in the Oum Er-Rbia basin. The additional water resources are expected to help secure irrigation for approximately 176,000 hectares.

The planned expansion builds on the first stage of Morocco’s inter-basin water-transfer network, which began operating in October 2023. That 67-kilometre system transfers surplus water from the Al Wahda Dam in the Sebou basin to the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Dam in the Bouregreg basin.

By the end of December 2025, the first phase had transferred more than 953 million cubic metres, helping reinforce water supplies along the Rabat-Casablanca corridor, which serves around 12 million people, while reducing pressure on the Al Massira Dam. The inter-basin transfer programme is part of Morocco’s wider national plan for drinking water and irrigation, which carries an investment value of more than 130 billion dirhams.