Wastewater Treatment and Reuse as a Strategy for Coastal Water Security: Evidence from the Tetouan Coastal Area, Northern Morocco

Water resources in Morocco, as in many Mediterranean regions, are increasingly affected by climate variability, recurrent drought, demographic growth, urban expansion and tourism-related demand. In this context, treated wastewater represents a strategic non-conventional resource for enhancing local water security, reducing pressure on freshwater resources and limiting coastal pollution. This article examines the contribution of wastewater treatment and reuse to water-resource management in the Tetouan coastal area of northern Morocco. The study adopts a territorial case-study approach based on the analysis of institutional reports, technical data from four wastewater treatment plants and the legal and policy framework governing water reuse in Morocco. The findings show that the four plants studied treated more than 29 million m³ of wastewater in 2024. However, effective reuse remains limited and is mainly concentrated at the Tamuda Bay plant, where treated water is used for irrigating green spaces. In 2024, approximately 1.49 million m³ were reused at this plant, corresponding to about 32% of its treated volume. Since 2016, this practice has helped save approximately 6.7 million m³ of potable water while contributing to the reduction of direct wastewater discharge into coastal environments. Nevertheless, the study identifies several constraints, including limited diversification of reuse sectors, insufficient distribution infrastructure, fragmented institutional coordination, persistent pollution hotspots and the absence of systematic environmental monitoring indicators. The article argues that the contribution of treated wastewater to coastal water security depends not only on treatment capacity, but also on integrated governance, technical efficiency, health and environmental standards and the expansion of reuse toward tourism, agriculture, industry and groundwater recharge.