The newly operational seawater desalination plant in Safi, managed by Morocco’s phosphate and fertilizer giant, OCP Group, has successfully fulfilled 100% of the city’s drinking water needs.
The news comes as the Oum Er Rbia basin, a key local water source, faces severe shortages due to prolonged drought. The Safi desalination plant, which began operations in August 2023, now provides 15 million cubic meters of drinking water annually to the city.
The facility is part of a broader initiative launched by “OCP Green Water,” in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior, to address severe water scarcity in the region.
With a total capacity of 40 million cubic meters per year, the plant also supports the industrial water needs of OCP Group, Morocco’s phosphate giant.
The plant is expected to expand its output by 2026, supplying 30 million cubic meters of water per year to Safi, along with an additional 20 million cubic meters for industrial use.
The expansion is part of a strategic vision to eventually supply desalinated water to the entire Marrakech-Safi region, ensuring long-term water security in one of Morocco’s most drought-prone areas.
Constructed at a cost of approximately 2.8 billion MAD (about USD 300 million), the Safi desalination plant utilizes advanced technology, including reverse osmosis, to convert seawater into potable water.
The process involves multiple filtration stages, culminating in the use of special membranes to remove salts and minerals. The resulting fresh water is then remineralized to ensure it meets international drinking water standards before being distributed to local communities.
In a statement to the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP), Otmane Abousselham, Head of Operations at OCP Green Water, highlighted the speed and efficiency of the project’s completion, crediting the group’s extensive experience in large-scale infrastructure projects. The plant was built in less than a year, with significant contributions from Moroccan companies.
Abousselham said that the plant plays a key role in reducing pressure on conventional water sources, urging the public to still use water responsibly as Safi’s population continues to grow.
The desalination project is part of Morocco’s broader National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation (PNAEPI), a strategic initiative aimed at ensuring water security across the country.
With an investment of 115 billion MAD (USD 12 billion) from 2020 to 2027, the program includes the construction of nine new desalination plants with a combined production capacity of 202 million cubic meters of water annually for southern located cities such as Agadir, Safi, and Laâyoune.
In addition to these ongoing projects, Morocco plans to launch eight more desalination plants with a total capacity of over 1.1 billion cubic meters per year. These plants aim to secure water supplies for both drinking and agricultural purposes across various regions of the country.