A recent site visit to the Casablanca Desalination Plant (300 million cubic meters per year) was a highly enriching experience, offering first-hand insight into one of the region’s most important infrastructure projects aimed at addressing water scarcity. The visit proved to be both technically informative and professionally rewarding.

As of December 2025, the overall Phase 1 progress has reached approximately 64%, indicating steady advancement in line with the planned construction schedule. From a civil engineering and construction management standpoint, the visit provided an excellent opportunity to observe ongoing structural works up close. Activities such as excavation, formwork installation, reinforcement detailing, and concrete placement were being carried out in line with approved drawings, method statements, and relevant standards, highlighting strong execution and quality control practices on site.

Various key components of the plant were observed, including the seawater intake structures, dual media filter, filter water tank and intermediate pumping systems, reverse osmosis facilities, and tunnelling works, along with other treatment units under construction. Seeing these elements in real time helped bridge the gap between design concepts on drawings and their practical implementation on site.

One of the most notable aspects of the visit was observing the micro-tunnelling works, which play a critical role in both seawater intake and brine discharge systems. These works demonstrated a high level of technical precision, involving comprehensive geotechnical investigations, carefully controlled excavation methods, and strict compliance with alignment, gradient, and tolerance requirements to ensure long-term operational reliability.

Another key highlight was witnessing the installation of Pressure pump systems over the RO racks within the Reverse Osmosis building.

Overall, the site visit was a highly insightful experience that reinforced the practical application of engineering principles in the execution of complex and sustainable infrastructure. It underscored the importance of meticulous planning, stringent quality control, and effective interdisciplinary coordination, while deepening the understanding of large-scale desalination projects and their significance in sustainable urban and industrial development.