Friday 21 February 2025 
BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers, Algeria | February 20th, 2025 — Under the leadership of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria has undertaken an ambitious and comprehensive strategy to guarantee access to potable water for all citizens across the national territory. This commitment has materialized through an effective mobilization of water resources, an optimization of distribution networks, and a large-scale expansion of seawater desalination plants along the country’s densely populated coastal strip. This initiative aims to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure long-term water security.
Five Provinces Set to Receive State-of-the-Art Desalination Plants
To successfully implement this vision, President Tebboune launched an emergency action plan in 2022, mandating the construction of five large-scale seawater desalination plants in key coastal provinces. These critical infrastructure projects, spearheaded by Sonatrach and its partners, have been executed with remarkable efficiency, reducing the initial construction timeline to less than 25 months.
The plants, each boasting a production capacity of 300,000 cubic meters per day, are located in Ras El Oued (Oran), Fouka (Tipaza), Cap Djinet (Boumerdès), Béjaïa, and Draouch (El Tarf). Collectively, they will generate an impressive 1.5 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day, significantly bolstering Algeria’s freshwater supply.
With this achievement, Algeria is now positioned as the second-largest producer of desalinated water in North Africa and the broader Middle East, bringing it closer than ever to achieving water security. The country’s large-scale water transfer projects, which extend these desalinated resources to interior cities across distances of up to 150 kilometers, further reinforce this strategy.
Algeria Takes a Giant Leap Towards Water Independence
Speaking to Echaâb, Professor Brahim Mouhouche, a member of the National Council for Scientific Research and Technology and an expert in water and food management economics, emphasized that Algeria has made significant strides in securing its water future. By embracing a water economy approach, the country has successfully shielded itself from the growing threat of water scarcity amid intensifying global climate challenges.
President Tebboune’s decisive interventions have played a crucial role in preventing a national water crisis, particularly given Algeria’s geographical location within a high-water-stress region. The country faces persistently low and irregular rainfall patterns, making it one of the most water-dependent nations in the region. According to Professor Mouhouche, Algeria’s renewable freshwater availability is currently estimated at only 300 cubic meters per capita per year, underscoring the urgency of the government’s proactive measures.
A Bold and Forward-Thinking Approach to Water Security
Algeria has made extraordinary strides in securing its water resources, positioning itself at the forefront of seawater desalination in the Arab world. Professor Brahim Mouhouche, a leading expert in water security, highlighted that Algeria now ranks among the top nations in this field, a testament to the country’s ambitious and strategic approach to addressing water scarcity.
“Without these proactive and visionary measures, Algeria would be facing a critical situation today,” Mouhouche asserted. “Recognizing the gravity of water shortages, the government adopted seawater desalination as a preemptive and sustainable solution to mitigate the deficit in potable water. This initiative aligns with the 2024–2030 National Water Security Strategy, which prioritizes the mobilization of sustainable water resources and the development of alternative supply mechanisms, with desalination serving as the cornerstone of this ambitious plan.”
According to Mouhouche, the national desalination strategy aims to meet Algeria’s drinking water needs through 2030, with projections indicating that over 60 percent of demand will be covered by desalinated water. The construction of additional desalination plants during this period will further solidify Algeria’s status as one of the world’s leading producers of desalinated water.
Decisive Presidential Measures to Reinforce Water Security
Mouhouche also underscored the pivotal role of presidential directives in safeguarding Algeria’s water future. Faced with the looming threat of water shortages, the government implemented an urgent action plan, opting for a bold and unwavering policy to expand desalination infrastructure. This decisive intervention led to the construction of 13 fully operational desalination plants along Algeria’s coastal regions, with five additional stations set to become operational in the near future. These new facilities, strategically distributed across Tipaza, Boumerdès, Oran, El Tarf, and Béjaïa, will further enhance national water security, ensuring a steady and sustainable supply of potable water for millions of Algerians.
Mouhouche pointed out that Algeria’s daily drinking water needs are currently being met by the 13 active desalination plants, which collectively produce 2.3 million cubic meters per day. However, with the integration of the five new facilities under the supplementary national program, total production capacity will surge to 3.8 million cubic meters per day, covering an estimated 42 percent of national demand by 2025, according to official projections.
A Testament to Algerian Engineering and Expertise
One of the most remarkable aspects of this ambitious desalination program is that it has been executed entirely by Algerian expertise. Mouhouche emphasized that these plants were designed, constructed, and are now managed by highly skilled Algerian professionals, working under public-sector national companies such as Sonatrach and Cosider Group. From initial feasibility studies to full-scale operation, every phase of development has been carried out with unparalleled precision and technical excellence, making Algeria a model of self-reliance and innovation in water security management.
Presidential Strategic Foresight: A Decisive and Swift Response to Algeria’s Water Security Challenges
In response to the escalating global water crisis, exacerbated by climate change over the past decade, Algeria has implemented a robust national water security strategy, prioritizing the construction of seawater desalination plants. This strategic initiative aims to significantly bolster the country’s renewable water resources, with desalination expected to account for approximately 42% of Algeria’s potable water supply. By 2030, this figure is projected to rise to 60%, marking a dramatic leap from the mere 18% coverage recorded previously.
The commissioning of five new desalination plants will position Algeria firmly beyond the critical threshold of water scarcity, securing national water sovereignty—a fundamental pillar for economic development and societal well-being. This accomplishment stands as a testament to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding citizens’ right to an uninterrupted potable water supply.
Before delving into the remarkable advancements achieved in Algeria’s water security framework, former Minister of Water Resources and renowned expert, Professor Kamel Mihoubi, provided an in-depth analysis of the severe water stress the country has faced since the summer of 2020. Speaking to Ech Chaab, Mihoubi highlighted the acute impact of erratic rainfall patterns on water service quality, particularly across 20 provinces, where water reserves in 36 dams—20 of which are designated for potable water supply—plummeted to alarmingly low levels, reaching an average fill rate of less than 25%.
The situation was especially dire in Algiers, which relies heavily on surface water sources. By the end of March 2021, the total storage capacity of the dams supplying Algiers, Boumerdes, Tipaza, and Tizi Ouzou had dropped to a mere 25% of their 2019 levels, representing only 9% of the total storage potential allocated to these provinces.
This alarming crisis necessitated immediate and strategic intervention. Under the directives of President Tebboune, Algeria’s public authorities launched a series of decisive measures to guarantee uninterrupted access to drinking water and fortify the nation’s water supply system. This included a combination of urgent short-term programs and a long-term national strategy aimed at mitigating deficits and ensuring resource sustainability.
In February 2021, an expansive emergency initiative was launched, featuring the development of 76 deep wells, followed by the drilling of an additional 100 wells across Algiers, Tipaza, Blida, and Boumerdes. These projects collectively increased daily water production capacity by over 120,000 cubic meters, achieving completion within a remarkable three-month period at a cost of 8 million Algerian dinars.
As part of this ambitious strategy, Algeria also undertook the rehabilitation and expansion of four single-unit desalination plants in western Algiers and Tipaza. This investment, executed in record time of just six months, received over 8.5 million dinars in funding and resulted in an additional water production capacity of 37,500 cubic meters per day.
By the end of 2022, Algeria had drilled over 380 wells across the regions most affected by surface water depletion. Among the country’s most significant hydraulic projects is the “Qatran” water field, designed to secure water resources for the Saoura region. Located near Bechar, this extensive project comprises 12 wells capable of producing approximately 86,000 cubic meters of water per day, ensuring the city’s daily water supply. The project also features a sophisticated water transfer system, spanning 370 kilometers and equipped with two storage units—one with a 20,000-cubic-meter capacity and another with a 50,000-cubic-meter capacity—alongside three pumping stations integrated with advanced remote management technology.
The total investment in the project surpasses 32 million Algerian dinars. Initial operational testing of the water transfer system commenced on November 15, 2024, signaling a major milestone in Algeria’s ambitious water security agenda.
Massive Infrastructure Expansion to Counteract Drought and Strengthen National Water Resilience
In a decisive move to combat the escalating threat of drought and secure sustainable water resources, Algeria has embarked on an ambitious seawater desalination strategy. This initiative, backed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, underscores a commitment to long-term water security, leveraging cutting-edge desalination technology to mitigate the effects of climate change and irregular rainfall patterns.
As part of this expansive program, three additional desalination plants have been integrated into eastern Algiers, collectively boosting production by 15,000 cubic meters per day. These projects, which commenced construction in April 2021, align with the broader national strategy that prioritizes desalination as both an urgent necessity and a transformative solution.
The country’s first large-scale desalination program entails the construction of five major plants, each boasting an impressive production capacity of 300,000 cubic meters per day. Strategically located, these facilities include the Fouka plant in Tipaza, designed to serve western Algiers and Blida, and the Cap Blanc (Ras El Oued) plant in Oran, which will ensure a stable potable water supply for Oran, Mascara, and Relizane.
The purified water will be transported via an extensive 50-kilometer pipeline network, reaching key areas such as Boutlélis in western Oran, Ain Turk, and Mers El Kébir in the east. This initiative will enhance Algeria’s desalination capacity by 35%, pushing total production beyond 880,000 cubic meters per day.
In Boumerdes, the Cap Djinet desalination plant will supply both Boumerdes and Algiers, along with parts of Tizi Ouzou, benefitting an estimated three million residents. Meanwhile, the Bejaia desalination facility, with a similar capacity of 300,000 cubic meters per day, will cater to Bejaia, Bordj Bou Arréridj, Bouira, and Setif, collectively serving over three million people. Furthermore, the complementary dam projects of Tichy Haf and Lekhal are poised to bolster irrigation for the agricultural plains of Soummam and Sersou.
The El Tarf desalination plant in Koudiat Draouch is set to provide essential water supplies to four provinces: Annaba (160,000 cubic meters per day), El Tarf (80,000 cubic meters per day), Skikda (20,000 cubic meters per day), and Guelma (40,000 cubic meters per day).
By the close of 2025, Algeria’s desalination infrastructure will attain a staggering production capacity of 1.4 billion cubic meters annually, generating an estimated 3.85 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day—surpassing the nation’s current output of non-conventional water sources.
Regional Leadership in Water Security
Hydraulic expert Mihoubi lauded Algeria’s rapid progress in desalination infrastructure, positioning the nation as a leader in the Mediterranean basin and the second-ranked Arab country in desalinated water production after Saudi Arabia. With desalination now contributing 42% of Algeria’s drinking water supply, the country has cemented its reputation as a model for water resource management in arid regions.
Mihoubi emphasized President Tebboune’s strategic vision for water security, recognizing it as a linchpin for national development and a decisive factor in the evolving geopolitical landscape. Given that water has long been a catalyst for international conflicts, Algeria’s proactive approach ensures a fortified stance in resource management.
The expert described Tebboune’s directive as a “forward-thinking and precautionary measure,” reinforcing the nation’s resilience against environmental uncertainties. This paradigm shift integrates both traditional and non-conventional water resources, harnessing cutting-edge technologies in wastewater recycling and seawater desalination. Algeria has emerged as a vanguard in this sector within the Arab and African regions, with an investment exceeding $2 billion.
This strategic investment is designed to mitigate fluctuations in dam reserves and groundwater levels during periodic droughts, creating a sustainable and diversified water supply network. Through this initiative, Algeria not only safeguards its water security but also strengthens its position as a regional powerhouse in resource management, setting a benchmark for other nations grappling with similar climatic challenges.
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