Morocco is to build a wastewater treatment plant. The project is under development and the Moroccan authorities, through the National Electricity and Drinking Water Board (Onee), have recently awarded the contract to the British company Biwater, which specialises in providing sustainable wastewater treatment solutions. The future infrastructure will be located in the south of this North African kingdom, more precisely in the coastal city of Tarfaya.
Through this initiative, the government of Morocco wants to clean up Tarfaya and thus protect the environment from the harmful effects of wastewater. One of the most serious threats to the environment is the contamination of coastal waters, which can cause biological perturbations, resulting in reproductive, growth or immune system disorders in aquatic organisms. The other consequence is bacteriological pollution, which can cause the transmission of diseases to populations.
In order to reduce the ecological impact of raw sewage along the Tarfaya coast, Biwater’s team will provide an accelerated construction programme. The amount of funds invested by Onee has not been disclosed.
The role of the Tarfaya wastewater treatment plant
The new facility will provide pre-treatment, biological treatment and advanced tertiary wastewater treatment, including ultraviolet disinfection and sludge dewatering. The drying beds will also be designed to reduce sewage sludge to dry solids content, which will be safely transferred off-site for disposal.
“After the successful commissioning of similar projects in Tamuda Bay, Khenifra, Aourir and Bukhalef, we are proud to continue our longstanding work to improve sanitation conditions in the country. We will soon deliver another turnkey solution that will serve the residents of Tarfaya and support the clean up of its coastline,” said Yassine Laib, Biwater’s country manager for Morocco.
Following commissioning of the Tarfaya wastewater treatment plant, Biwater will provide 12 months of operational and maintenance support to the local workforce.
Alongside this project, Biwater is also working with Onee under a separate contract. The agreement covers the construction of the main wastewater treatment plant in Laâyoune, the capital of Western Sahara, a territory in North Africa under Moroccan rule. Work is nearing completion. The plant will eventually include a solar-powered sludge-drying greenhouse. The system will enable the effluent sludge produced as a by-product of the wastewater treatment plant to be dried sustainably.
Inès Magoum