Construction works on Safi wastewater treatment in Morocco has commenced. Marrakech-Safi Regional Directorate for the Environment announced the start of the project which is set to guarantee water supply to industries that were also hit by drought in the country.
Despite the Moroccan government’s efforts to alleviate water stress, the Kingdom of Morocco still ranks 23rd out of 165 nations exposed to water risks in the world. Industries are also paying a heavy price for this drought situation.
The wastewater treatment plant, whose construction is imminent, will be able to treat 8 million m3 of wastewater per year within two years. Kamal El Mdari, the head of the Regional Directorate of Environment of Marrakech-Safi said the water capacity should extend to 11 million m3 by 2045.
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Thermal hydrolysis technology
According to him, the future plant will also value the sludge from wastewater treatment through the technology of thermal hydrolysis (THP). This technology aims to improve the performance of digestion on biological sludge or mixed sludge by causing the rupture of the cell walls of bacteria, the cell content being then easily accessible by mesophilic digestion.
The process is simple. Sludge with a dry matter (DM) concentration of 16 to 17% is held for about 30 minutes at a temperature of 150-165°C, and then a flash expansion is carried out before the digester is fed. In its operational phase, the Safi plant will create job opportunities for at least 50 technicians in the area.
The wastewater recovery in the city of Safi will require a total investment of more than 600 million Moroccan dirhams, about 57.3 million euros. The OCP Group (Office chérifien des phosphates) is financing the work in partnership with the Régie autonome intercommunale de distribution d’eau et d’électricité de Safi.
[…] READ: Construction of Safi wastewater treatment in Morocco begins […]