Laayoune is planning to expand its seawater desalination plant to produce more drinking water as demand in the city and nearby areas continues to grow. The project would add a third unit with a production capacity of up to 300 litres per second, or around 26,000 cubic metres a day.
The expansion would take the plant’s total capacity from 600 litres per second to about 900 litres per second, an increase of around 50%.
The National Office for Electricity and Potable Water (ONEE) is studying the project and will decide its final size based on future water needs, including demand during peak periods.
The extra water would supply Laayoune and nearby areas such as El Marsa, Foum El Oued and the fishing village of Tarouma.
Water demand is expected to increase as the area expands and economic activity grows around the port, phosphate industry, energy and other businesses.
The new unit would use reverse osmosis technology. The project would also include work on water pipelines, pumping stations, storage tanks, electrical systems and remote monitoring equipment.
ONEE is also checking whether the existing seawater intake and distribution systems can handle the additional production.
The plant’s design will need to cope with the area’s high temperatures, salty seawater and strong winds carrying sand. Engineers will also need to protect equipment from corrosion, rust, sand build-up and blockages.
The project is still at the study stage. No construction date or investment cost has been announced.
