The Algerian authorities have taken steps to address the issue of potable water supply in the wilaya of Béjaïa. According to La Dépêche de Kabylie, the secretary general of the Ministry of Water Resources, Belkateb El-Hadj, recently visited the wilaya to examine the situation of various projects inscribed for its benefit. During a working session held at the wilaya headquarters, El-Hadj announced that the wilaya's concerns regarding potable water supply would be addressed.
The measures taken by the authorities include the securing of water infrastructure, specifically the two Tichi Haf and Ighil Emda dams, as well as the Blue Source. The wilaya's communication cell reported that El-Hadj emphasized the importance of these measures to ensure a stable potable water supply. Furthermore, he informed the attendees that the construction of a seawater desalination station in Tighremt, Toudja commune, would commence soon.
Additional projects have been planned to improve the potable water supply and sanitation in Béjaïa. These projects include operations in the communes of Draâ El Gaïd and Kherrata, as well as the construction of a monobloc station at the Kefrida Cascades in Taskriout commune. The renovation of the pipeline supplying the eastern communes of the wilaya and part of Béjaïa city from the Aïnser Azegzaw, also known as the Blue Source, is also planned.
The wilaya of Béjaïa has also benefited from a project to develop several water boreholes in Akbou commune, aimed at strengthening the potable water supply. According to La Dépêche de Kabylie, the wali of Béjaïa, Ahmed Maâbed, requested the financing of projects related to the development of a master plan and a flood protection study across the wilaya during the working session with El-Hadj.
The wali also emphasized the need to inscribe an operation for the development of Oued Soummam, for which a hydraulic study is currently underway, as well as the development and protection against flooding of Oued Agrioune. In terms of sanitation, the needs expressed by the wali include the construction of a sanitation collector in the Ighzer Ouzarif and Sidi Boudrahem urban poles, heading towards the future Oued Ghir purification station.
The wilaya's sanitation requirements also involve the eradication of septic tanks in scattered areas, upgrading the sanitation network across the wilaya, and the study and construction of six purification stations in Béjaïa, specifically in Oued Ghir, El Kseur, Tichy, Tazmalt, Kherrata, and Draâ El Gaïd. To definitively secure the wilaya's potable water supply, Maâbed informed El-Hadj that a file on the matter had been prepared and submitted to the ministry for consideration.
Maâbed also requested that the water supply networks be upgraded across the wilaya to improve the service delivery schedule. Additionally, to address the water deficit in the four western coast communes, namely Adekar, Taourirt Ighil, Béni K’sila, and Toudja, the wali advocated for the inscription of a project to build a dam on Oued Flidoun in Taourirth Ighil commune.
Key points
- Algerian authorities have taken measures to secure the potable water supply in Béjaïa, including the inscription of several projects and the renovation of existing infrastructure.
- The projects planned include the construction of a seawater desalination station and the development of several water boreholes.
- The wilaya's authorities have also requested the financing of projects related to flood protection and sanitation.
