Algeria plans seven water desalination plants

6 March 2024

Algeria plans to procure seven new seawater desalination plants between 2025 and 2030.

According to the country's Hydraulics Minister, Taha Derbal, the plan covers building two desalination plants in Tizi Ouzou and one each in Tlemcen, Mostaganem, Tizi Ouzou Chlef, Jijel and Skikda.

Five seawater desalination stations are under construction in Oran, Tipasa, Boumerdes, Bejaia and El Tarf. They are expected to be completed this year.

The projects will help ensure the availability of drinking water to the inhabitants of these wilayas, as well as in other wilayas located within 150 kilometres of their radius, the minister said. 

Once completed, these desalination plants will increase the proportion of desalinated water in the overall volume of drinking water to 42%, up from the current 18%, Derbal added.

In February last year, Riyadh-based water utility developer Wetico won two contracts to develop the El Tarf and Bejaia seawater desalination plants. Each will have a production capacity of 300,000 cubic metres a day.

Societe Algerienne de Realisation de Projects Industriels (Sarpi) awarded the contract for the El Tarf desalination plant.

Entreprise Nationale de Canalisations (Enac) is the client for the Bejaia facility.

According to the contract awarded last year, Wetico will undertake the design, engineering, procurement, construction supervision, testing and commissioning of the plants.

The contract also includes the provision of operation and maintenance services for three years.

The projects are part of the Algeria Desalination Programme, which is being led by the state-backed Sonatrach Group.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo
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