The drinking water crisis affecting Algeria this summer can be explained by the low rainfall over the past three years, which has resulted in a decrease in dam reserves.
This was explained on Monday, June 28 Smail Amirouche, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Water Resources (MRE). “The six dams that supply the capital with water are at less than 15% of their nominal capacities. 15% is the dead volume. This is the result of three years during which it has not rained much,” said the SG of the MRE in an interview with Algerian Radio. In all, 22 are affected by the phenomenon of water stress.
Drinking water: the government unveils its anti-crisis plan
“We have recorded a drastic decrease in the volumes of water stored in the dams ranging from 35 to 40% per year,” he said.
“Even during the rainy months, it was fine rains and there was not much flow in the wadis, because it is the floods of the wadis that feed the dams. Even if it is raining and the wadi is not in flood, the dam is not properly supplied,” added the manager.
In 2020 the statistical data let ” predict a volume of precipitation in the Algerian region of around 700 mm/year “, he said.
“Unfortunately, during the months of January-February 2021, there was no drop. The months of March-April saw some rainfall beneficial for agriculture but insufficient to put the wadis in flood. So the dams were not supplied. What we are currently experiencing is the consequence” of this lack of precipitation, continued Smail Amirouche.
By 2030, 50% of drinking water will come from water desalination
In an attempt to resolve the water crisis, the MRE is counting on two solutions. First, increase the availability of water through boreholes.
“We have launched a vast program, especially in Algiers, where we have launched 170 boreholes. We are on a new operation for the realization of 120 boreholes”, he said, specifying that the average time for the realization of a borehole is two months.
“There have been a lot of boreholes that have been put into service to stabilize the water supply in Blida and Tipasa and relatively to Algiers,” he added.
Once completed, these boreholes should come into service for the next three years, adds the same official. And to avoid there being harmful consequences on the water tables, the authorities are considering technical solutions with a view to replenishing them artificially, especially that of Mitidja, he assured.
The other solution adopted by the government is the desalination of seawater. “In our strategy, the objective is to achieve, by 2030, providing 50% of the water necessary for water supply. Drinking from seawater desalination,” said Mr. Amirouche.
To strengthen the drinking water supply of Algiers, the authorities have put into operation since last March desalination stations in Tipasa, Bou-Ismail, Palm-Beach (the station should be operational in mid-July), and Ain Benian.
The wilaya of Blida will have to be supplied from the Fouka desalination station (Tipasa). The wilayas of Oran, Boumerdès, Skikda, Annaba, Tarf, Guelma, Béjaia and Tizi-Ouzou should benefit from similar programs.
Of the 11 desalination stations located on the coast, two stations pose technical problems. That of Souk Tleta (Tlemcen) which is stopped and the station of Magtaâ which operates at 50% of its capacity, according to Smaïl Amirouche. The 9 other stations “functioning at 98%”, he assures us.
