Water will flow in Ghardaïa. The government is committed to investing more than 5 million euros in the construction of boreholes in this territory located 600 km south of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The project will be divided into two parts. The first part financed to the tune of 500 million dinars (3.5 million euros) will allow the installation of seven boreholes equipped to supply the municipalities of Ghardaïa, Metlili, Zelfana, Hassi Lefhal, Guerrara and El Menea. The second, estimated at 200 million dinars (2.5 million euros), will involve the renovation, rehabilitation and extension of the drinking water supply network in these various municipalities. The main aim is to improve the quality of service and support urban development in the zone.
For the Algerian authorities, the validity of the project is no longer to be demonstrated. It will make it possible to improve, optimise and renovate drinking water distribution infrastructures, to fight against the waste of this resource in an arid region, in order to meet the challenges of socio-economic development. The municipalities of the region are experiencing accelerated population growth and water demand in the agricultural and industrial sectors has increased. The investment will therefore strengthen the production and mobilisation of groundwater for drinking.
The wilaya (department) of Ghardaïa has 150 boreholes. Six of them, intended for industry, produce an average of 270 m3 /day. The department also has 110 storage tanks and a tower with a capacity of 117,000 m3. The drinking water connection rate in Ghardaïa is around 98%, with an average supply of 198 litres / per day and per inhabitant.
Luchelle Feukeng