Lack of rainfall forces Algiers to improve groundwater production capacity
The creation of desalination plants, the production of groundwater wells, and the activation of the water police action plan are some of the measures that Algeria will implement to mitigate the consequences of drought in the country. Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s government has announced its intention to “take urgent measures” in the face of the “increasing lack of rainfall due to climate change”. To this end, “the urgent plan approved in the past two years 2021 and 2022” will be revived.
The objective is to ensure that all Algerian citizens can count on drinking water on a regular basis throughout the year. If desalination plants are not rehabilitated and expanded, and if groundwater production capacity is not improved, drought could directly affect certain sectors of the population. Another of the measures to be implemented is the reduction in the number of hours of water distribution, given the government’s concern about the climatic conditions, which do not seem to have a positive trend for the future.
The director of the Algerian Climatological Center, Saleh Sahabi Abed, explained in statements to Al Sharq media that the decrease in rainfall in Algeria over the last decade is between thirty and forty percent. He also warned that action needed to be taken globally, not just in his country. Rather than looking for a solution to the consequences of drought, he identifies its cause and points the finger at gas emissions, which are largely responsible for both the lack of precipitation and the increase in temperatures in the world.
Tribune announced the activation of the water police to fight against one of the main problems of Algeria, according to the Algerian Water Company, namely the. This “police” specializes in monitoring water use areas in all fields and preventing water wastage. Especially since the illegal connection to the water network leads to losses of 20 to 25%, a trend which, according to the authorities, is becoming more and more common throughout the country and endangers the proper functioning of the system.
Data from the Algerian Ministry of Water Resources set the annual limit for groundwater exploitation at around six billion cubic meters. However, there are plans to carry out urgent scientific studies to determine the exact state of the groundwater level and to recalculate these figures. In the same vein, President Tebboune has ordered strict control of the licenses issued for the exploitation of these waters, as well as the irrigation of cultivated areas, with heavy penalties for those who drill wells illegally. One of the alternatives that offer the best results is the desalination of the Algerian coastal waters mentioned above.
With more than 1,200 kilometers of coastline spread across the northern states of Algeria, the expansion of desalination plants is one of the pillars on which this drought relief plan must rest. Currently, desalinated water covers the needs of 17% of the Algerian population thanks to the eleven plants in operation in the country, which have a production capacity of more than 770 million cubic meters per year.
