Amid regional and global water scarcity driven by climate change, Algeria is making steady strides toward water security through large-scale projects endorsed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. These initiatives leverage non-traditional resources like desalinated seawater and groundwater, alongside inter-dam connections and major water transfers.
With a forward-looking vision and rigorous implementation, Algeria has achieved a 98% national drinking water network connection rate, ranking among global leaders. It produces over 3 billion cubic meters of drinking water annually—55% from groundwater, 25% from surface water, and 20% from desalination.
Desalination is a cornerstone of this policy. The first phase, completed with Algerian expertise, delivered five major plants in El Tarf, Boumerdès, Tipaza, Oran, and Béjaïa, each producing 300,000 cubic meters daily at a cost of $2.4 billion. A second phase, set for early 2026, will add six more plants in Skikda, Jijel, Tizi Ouzou, Chlef, Mostaganem, and Tlemcen, with studies underway to supply 18 provinces.
Recently, the President inaugurated four desalination plants, with Béjaïa’s pending, calling their rapid completion a foundation for an “Algerian school of major project execution.” These facilities will raise the number of desalination plants to 19, boosting capacity from 2.2 million to 3.7 million cubic meters daily (42% of demand), aiming for over 60% reliance on desalinated water within years.
The National Human Rights Council hailed these as “giant steps” toward eliminating water scarcity, positioning Algeria as Africa’s top and the Arab world’s second-largest desalinated water producer.
Additionally, inter-dam connections ensure solidarity between water-rich and scarce regions, while over 900 billion DZD invested in the past five years has bolstered irrigation infrastructure. Projects include linking desalination plants to supply networks, eight major water transfers, and a completed 80,000 cubic meter/day groundwater transfer in Béchar. Over 1,200 wells, 19 new filtration systems, and 1,103 km of upgraded sewage networks have also been realized.
In sanitation, Algeria leads in wastewater treatment, with a current capacity of 600 million cubic meters annually, set to exceed 1 billion with new systems.
Meanwhile, Béchar will host an international conference on water resources and environmental changes from April 12–14, organized by Tahri Mohammed University under the Ministry of Higher Education, where experts will address water security challenges and propose sustainable solutions.
