WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE IN MOROCCO SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVES

1. WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE IN MOROCCOSITUATION AND PERSPECTIVES WASAMED WORKSHOP, Cairo, 7th December, 2004 R.CHOUKR-ALLAH

2. Introduction Mediterranean countries are characterized by: • More repetitive periods of drought; • Irregularity of the rainfalls; • Water chronic scarcity will be reached by 2020; • Degradation of the water resources quality.

3. supply of available waters per capita and per year in some Mediterranean countries

4. Geographic Distribution of Hydraulic river basins in Morocco

5. Geographic distribution of surface waters resources

6. Issues of Water Resources in Morocco • The available water resources per inhabitant and per year will drop from less than 1000 m3 to less than 500 m3 • 23%of the dams used for potable water are threatened by urban pollution

7. Issues of Water Resources in Morocco • 13% of wellheads potable water are exposed to pollution • 3.4%of the wellheads have nitrate level higher than 50 mg/l • 60 millions m3 of raw wastewater are used to irrigate over 7000 ha

8. Potential of wastewater in Morocco

9. Main factors that contribute to this increaseare: • increase in the Urban Population ( 4.4 to 5%) • increase in the potable water network in urban areas, which has moved from 53% in 1972 to 79% in 1993 and to 85% in 2000. • The increase in the rate of sewerage network which has reached 75% in big cities in 1999, and; • increase in the individual consumption of potable water, from 85 to 116 liters per inhabitant and per day in the period between 1972 and 1992.

10. Distribution of wastewaters discharged following the receptor milieu Source : CSEC (2001)

11. Wastewater effluents cannot be totally mobilized • 58% of this volume will be discharged on the coast • Absence of irrigable sites downstream from the discharges in numerous centers, especially coastal cities. • high cost of the water conveyance system when the site of these waters reuse requires fees of pumping and conducts, and ; • availability of conventional waters is satisfactory.

12. constituent Small centers (less than 20.000 inhabitant) Average Centers (Between 20.000 and 100.000 inhabitant) Large cities (more than 100.000 inhabitant) National Average BOD5 (mg/l) 400 350 300 350 COD (mg/l) 1000 950 850 900 SS (mg/l) 500 400 300 400 Restitution rates (%) 50 75 80 65 Supply x restitution rate l/inhab) 40 70 80 60 Typical composition of raw Wastewater in Morocco ) Source: ONEP-GTZ

13. Main areas of raw wastewaters reuse in Morocco Source : CSEC (1994)

14. Situation of Wastewater treatment Plants in Morocco Source : CSEC (2001)

15. The reuse of treated wastewater is still at the experimental level Pilot projects: Ouarzazat- FAO • Ben Sergao - ADF • Ben Slmimane - ACDI • Drarga - USAID

16. Projects of wastewater treatment and reuse in Morocco

17. Sewage performances: Reduction percentage Source: ONEP-FAO (2001)

18. Objectives • What lessons can be learned from these pilot? • What are the methods to be used in order to improve future reuse of wastewater? • What are the measures to be taken in order to encourage the reuse? • What are the guidelines for monitoring treatment plants and sites irrigated with treated wastewaters?

19. Lessons learned and recommendations Wastewater reuse project planning • Need to integrate water quality in wastewater reuse • Implementation of strategy and policy to promote reuse • Participation of the end users in all phase of the project • Selection of durable site

20. Lessons learned and recommendations Wastewater reuse project planning • Selection of treatment system based onthe type possible reuse • Need to diversify different reuse • Cost-benefit analysis should include socio-economic and environmentalaspects • Constant dialogue between all relevant partners

21. Irrigation systems • Numerous irrigation systems have been tested in the pilot projects • problems faced were not linked to the irrigation method but rather to the piloting of the irrigation • choice of a good dripper might significantly improve the distribution of wastewaters at the level of the plot • Drip irrigation reduce considerably the health risks

22. Treated wastewater price Price assessment components: • Pumping cost • Transport cost • Storage cost • Operation and maintenance cost

23. Institution partnership establishment for collective agreement • Definition of the role of each partner • Agreement which cover all aspects of the project ( finance, technical assistance, monitoring, management, …) • Active participation of all partners in all phase of the project • Total transparency in the implementation of actions • Wiliness to share risks and success of the project • Each partner has to feel he has something to gain

24. Conclusions and recommendations Planning: • Strengthen the participation of the beneficiaries • Monitoring the quality of treated wastewater and reinforce existing regulation

25. Conclusions and recommendations Economic Aspects • Establish cost-beneficiate analysis • Insure that wastewater reuse is profitable to the farmers

26. Conclusions and Recommendations Organizational Aspects • Encourage cooperation benefit between institution • Establish services contacts between the manufacturing institution and local expertise institution

27. Conclusions and Recommendations Regulation aspects • Establish norms and standards for the reuse of treated wastewater • Limit the parameters to be monitored

28. Conclusions and Recommendations Technical and agronomical Aspects • Encourage the drip irrigation system • Optimize the recycling of the nutrient elements included in the wastewater • Develop a strategy for the storage of wastewater

29. Conclusions and Recommendations Sanitary Aspects : • Develop analytical methods for monitoring persistent contaminants • Improve research techniques for parasites and virus • Develop a methodology and monitoring evaluation system of the impact of the reuse on the soil, crops and ground water

30. Conclusions and Recommendations Awareness raising : • Establish a Awareness and sanitary education programs for farmers, engineers and technicians • Develop handouts on different aspects of the reuse of treated wastewater