Algeria Has a Two-Years' Water Reserves, Environment Minister says

“Scarcity of rainfall is not dangerous because Algeria’s water is currently stored in dams and provides Algerians’ needs for more than two years.”

Nouri added, during a press conference that was held on Sunday, on the occasion of the evaluation meeting of the sector’s frames, that the conflict between the “Algerian Water Company” with dozens of institutions and economic operators, whether they are public or private, and who did not pay dues of water consumption bills, was forwarded to the PM, Abdelmalek Sellal, who will decide about it soon, to enable the institution from recovering its money, to be exploit it in new projects to develop the sector.

“Scarcity of rainfall, during the months of November and December, is not a problem because the water that is stored in dams allows the country to overcome the drought crisis, on the grounds that the current inventory is enough for more than two years, as, despite the lack of rain, but the rate of mobilization of dams exceeds 70%, which is the equivalent of 4.7 billion cubic meters. There is a need to rationalize the use of this vital resource, because it is not reasonable to continue to waste water in the secondary things, and in large quantities.”

“Some projects in the sector stopped, for re-consideration, giving priority to the important projects, given the difficult economic situation of the country, as a result of the decline in the public treasury revenues from hard currency by more than 60 to 70%, compared with the past years.”

“Project for the expansion of irrigated areas to one million hectares is launched in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as we started in the first phase with 143,000 hectares, of which 25,000 hectares were handed over, in order to create all the conditions for the advancement of agricultural sector, especially In light of the country’s hard economic condition.”