2023-12-09 15:54:42
ALGIERS – The Minister of Hydraulics, Tahar Derbal, instructed, Saturday in Algiers, those responsible for the sector to mobilize all means capable of increasing the capacity of wastewater purification, with the aim of exploit 60% of the quantities recovered, in order to cope with water stress due to the effects of climate change.
The minister spoke at the opening of a study day dedicated to the valorization of purified wastewater in several areas, such as agriculture, industry and urban use, organized at the ministry’s headquarters under the slogan “Valorisation purified wastewater in agriculture and industry: experiences and perspectives”, in the presence of sector executives, water resources wilaya directors, as well as heads of institutions and companies under supervision.
To achieve this objective, the minister recalled, in his speech, the establishment of a major investment program focused on bringing shut-down stations back into service, increasing the production capacities of purification, the recording of operations for the construction, rehabilitation and extension of treatment plants, the recording of operations for the construction of new tertiary treatment systems, as well as the construction of new treatment plants.
In this regard, Mr. Derbal underlined the role of wilaya directors of water resources, as well as executives of the National Sanitation Office and the National Irrigation and Drainage Office, called upon to work for “the implementation of this choice on the ground and ensuring that this objective is achieved”, given its “capital importance for our national economy, in the context of the climatic conditions prevailing in the world in recent years and the new orientation of the State focused on the development of agriculture to achieve food security and the diversification of national industry.
In this context, Mr. Derbal recalled the instructions given by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, during the Council of Ministers on November 14, when he ordered to increase the wastewater purification capacity. and their recovery, with the aim of exploiting 60% of the quantities recovered.
Concerning the sector’s strategy for the exploitation of treated wastewater, Mr. Derbal revealed that the “gigantic” investments launched by the State in the field of sanitation had made it possible to create 213 purification systems, of theoretical processing capacity equivalent to 1 billion cubic meters per year, and a current processing capacity of 442 million cubic meters per year, a rate of 44%.
The minister considered that the organization of this Study Day constituted a “real and effective start for this approach”, calling on the parties responsible for the operation of sanitation systems to “ensure that they provide quality water in accordance with legislation and laws”.
During a press conference on the sidelines of this Study Day, Mr. Derbal specified that the objective set by the President of the Republic to exploit 60% of purified wastewater “is strategic” and “must be achieved according to a well-defined timetable, noting that the rate is currently 10%”.
He also indicated that an envelope of 40 billion DA had been allocated for the reactivation of shut down purification systems, the extension of systems which are operating at full capacity, as well as rehabilitation projects of the systems that have experienced some deficiencies in their performance.
In response to a question on the filling rate of dams after the rains recorded recently, the minister indicated that this rate had reached 31%, assuring that the sector “has taken into account all possibilities to guarantee the supply of citizens with drinking water according to acceptable schedules which improve as resources become available.
Among the rapid measures taken by the ministry to preserve drinking water, the minister indicated that large factories and agricultural areas will be supplied with water from wastewater treatment plants, in particular the El Hadjar steel complex which has daily need of a quantity of water between 20,000 and 25,000 cubic meters.
Regarding the progress of the Oued El Harrach development project, Mr. Derbal revealed that “it is planned to receive this project during the first quarter of next year”, recalling the “next ” of a study for the redevelopment of Oued Mazafran (Algiers).
Note that on the occasion of this Study Day, a framework agreement was signed between the National Sanitation Office and the National Irrigation and Drainage Office for the reuse of purified water.
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