Minister Benali: Quality of Moroccan Beach Water Rises to 93 Percent
Continuing coverage
Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Minister Leila Benali announced this Tuesday morning the results of the national report on the monitoring of bathing water quality and beach sand in Morocco, highlighting a “significant improvement in several indicators related to the national coastline.”
This announcement came during a press conference dedicated to presenting the annual data on the environmental status of Moroccan beaches. Benali explained that the number of beaches subjected to water quality monitoring has increased from 79 in 2004 to nearly 200 in 2024, with a total of 488 monitoring stations, representing a 154 percent increase over two decades.
The monitoring of sand quality and marine waste characterization has seen similar development, with the number of beaches covered by this monitoring rising from 13 in 2010 to 64 this year. Since 2018, the process of tracking marine pollution has been enhanced with the establishment of more than 90 monitoring stations along the Moroccan coast.
The government official also noted that the quality of bathing water saw a remarkable increase during the period from 2021 to 2024, rising from 88 percent to 93 percent, an increase of 5 percentage points. However, approximately 7 percent of beaches and monitoring stations remain non-compliant with standards, necessitating, according to the minister, “further efforts from all stakeholders to improve water quality.”
Regarding sand quality, there has been a reported decrease in the amount of accumulated waste by more than 21 percent compared to previous years. In light of the challenging climate conditions facing Morocco, particularly drought, marine waste remains a significant environmental challenge. The minister indicated that over 80 percent of marine waste originates from land, with plastic waste accounting for more than 75 percent of this pollution.
Benali confirmed that the overall condition of the coasts has improved in recent years, although this improvement varies by geographical area and season, necessitating ongoing monitoring and public support for coastal rehabilitation and strengthening infrastructure and basic facilities.
For his part, Mohammed El Bouche, Director of the National Laboratory for Studies and Monitoring of Pollution, stated that this conference comes early in the year to allow all stakeholders to prepare adequately for the summer season. He revealed that Morocco has launched, for the first time, a comprehensive environmental assessment of its coastlines, including monitoring sand, water, and chemical pollution through multiple programs and accredited national laboratories, enabling timely corrective measures.
El Bouche added that Morocco has seen improvements in regional reports on marine environments in the Mediterranean basin compared to several other countries, citing a reduction in “black spots” from four in 2005 to just one currently, which is a “sensitive but not black” point, referring to the advancements made thanks to efforts in cleansing and combatting pollution.
Minister Benali concluded by noting that the kingdom continues to implement major projects to protect coastlines and marine environments, through legal and institutional reforms, as well as field projects, in addition to preparing a comprehensive study on the national plan to reduce marine pollution.
