Safi Desalination Plant: New Expansion to Water Greater Marrakech
The Safi desalination plant in Morocco is preparing to increase its capacities to supply water to the Grand Marrakech region, addressing growing water stress through the conversion of Atlantic seawater. Inside this facility, thousands of cubic meters of water begin a meticulous journey every day as an almost invisible transformation turns seawater into drinking water. In a Morocco facing resource scarcity, this ocean-derived water is no longer just a technological innovation.
How the Safi Desalination Plant Converts Seawater
Atlantic water enters the facility through an offshore intake pipe before moving into a rigorous pretreatment system. The plant filters out sand, salt, and suspended impurities to prepare the water for high-pressure reverse osmosis. In expansive technical halls, high-capacity pumps push the pretreated water through advanced membranes. These membranes separate dissolved salts from pure water, turning the ocean liquid into supply that meets standard municipal and industrial criteria.
Operators monitor pressure, flow rates, and energy consumption in real-time control rooms. OCP Green Water manages the site using a circular model where treated wastewater serves industrial needs, while the desalinated water meets urban drinking demands.
Timeline of the OCP Green Water Expansion
The infrastructure project has grown in phases since its inception by OCP Green Water, which was established in 2022.
- 2022: OCP Green Water is established to develop large-scale desalination capacity.
- January 2024: The Safi installations begin supplying water directly to the OCP industrial complex.
- February 2024: The facility starts contributing to the municipal drinking water supply for the city of Safi.
- 2026: Operations scale up toward a global capacity target of 320 million cubic meters per year, supported by green energy sources and cogenerated power.
- 2027: Production capacity is scheduled to reach 560 million cubic meters annually.
Addressing the Brine Byproduct Challenge
Researchers at the facility are investigating methods to process brine, the concentrated salt solution left over after reverse osmosis. Instead of treating the byproduct purely as waste, laboratory teams are studying ways to extract useful minerals. Potential applications under review include agricultural fertilizers and animal feed components.
Supplying the Grand Marrakech Region
Current production stands at approximately 30 million cubic meters annually, split between the Safi industrial site and the local municipal network. The upcoming expansion aims to ramp up output significantly to deliver 80 million cubic meters of drinking water per year to the Grand Marrakech area, with a total destination volume of 90 million cubic meters of drinking water per year produced in Safi ultimately designated for the Grand Marrakech. This growth relies on a new water intake structure currently slated to enter service alongside upgraded renewable energy integrations.