Situated in a geographical location characterized by semi-arid to dry conditions, Morocco is currently grappling with the escalating issue of water scarcity. Within the framework of the circular economy concept, the utilization of treated wastewater in agricultural practices is presently being regarded as a viable approach to address the challenges of water scarcity and pollution. In recent years, Morocco has made significant progress in the field of urban wastewater treatment through the implementation of the National Wastewater Program (PNA). Nevertheless, there have been considerable delays in the implementation of rural sanitation initiatives. In this review, we discuss Moroccan water resources, an overview of Moroccan wastewater production and treatment plants, Moroccan legislation and standards for wastewater reuse in agriculture, and conclude with a discussion of practical cases of wastewater irrigation in Morocco and the results obtained with some recommendations.

With limited freshwater resources and rising demand, Morocco is under increasing pressure due to overexploitation, inefficient usage, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. In 2023, per capita water availability fell to just 606 m³, far below the 1,000 m³ threshold of water scarcity....

The autonomous company of Kenitra "RAK", adopts the vision of valorization of the dehydrated sludge in the field of agriculture, if it meets the requirements. For that we studied the feasibility of this valorization via a physicochemical study; the parameters which were studied are: Dry matter (DM) and volatile dry matter (VDM), pH, dryness, the detection of fertilizing elements and heavy metals. The results of physico-chemical analysis showed that the sludge from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is rich in fertilizing elements such as: TKN (46mg/kg), Total Phosphorus (733mg/kg), Potassium (159.75mg/kg), and DM (31.11g/l), VDM (16.77g/l), pH (8.11), dryness (22.36%). For the heavy metal analysis, it is found that the sludge is in conformity with the standards of spreading in terms of heavy metal content (Cd 0,22mg/kg MS, Cr 106,27mg/kg MS, Cu 37,48 mg/Kg MS, Hg 1,33mg/Kg MS, Ni 7,66mg/Kg MS, Pb 12,75mg/Kg MS); It can be said that this sewage sludge from the Kenitra WWTP has a real agronomic interest but with the absence of a microbiological analysis of this sludge, it is impossible to make a decision concerning the use of the sludge in agriculture. The study conducted therefore requires further research to confirm the feasibility of recovery to benefit from a green fertilizer and reduce a certain pollution.

This study evaluates the impact of heavy metals (zinc, copper and cadmium) on the development and metabolic responses of the maize (Zea mays) variety “Torro Plus”. Seeds were cultivated on MS medium enriched with progressively higher concentrations of heavy metals (50, 100 and 150 μM), and plants were analyzed after 21 days. The results show a significant reduction in morphological parameters, notably an 87.28% decrease in the fresh weight of aerial parts and a 69.93% decrease in the fresh weight of roots under 150 μM of Cd. Chlorophyll a, b and total content also decreased drastically, reaching a maximum reduction of 74.31% under Cd (150 μM). In contrast, secondary metabolites such as proline and flavonoids increased, with a maximum proline accumulation of 0.71 mg/g under Cu (150 μM) and a flavonoid concentration reaching 176.33 mg/g under Cu (100 μM). These results show mechanisms of adaptation to stress, notably the accumulation of flavonoids and proline, while highlighting the increased toxicity of cadmium at high doses. These data are promising for applications in phytoremediation and sustainable agriculture. This study provides important data on the physiological and biochemical responses of plants to heavy metals and opens up prospects for phytoremediation applications.

Water scarcity in Mediterranean regions such as Morocco makes treated wastewater a strategic alternative for irrigation. This field study evaluated the effects of two treated wastewater sources, membrane bioreactor T2 and activated sludge T3, compared with groundwater (T1, control) on growth, yield, and fruit quality of two tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L., Bobcat and Galilia). Irrigation with activated sludge effluent T3 significantly improved agronomic performance relative to both MBR-treated water and groundwater. Under T3, plant height reached 158 ± 3.5 cm in Galilia and 150 ± 3.2 cm in Bobcat, while fruit yield increased to 9.93 ± 0.38 kg plant⁻¹ in Bobcat and 7.12 ± 0.25 kg plant⁻¹ in Galilia, more than double the yield recorded under T2. Physiological parameters such as chlorophyll a, proline, and soluble sugars increased markedly under T3, indicating enhanced photosynthetic activity and improved stress tolerance. Fruit quality was enhanced under T3, with higher soluble sugar and protein levels, while lycopene and acidity were greatest under groundwater irrigation. Overall, the results demonstrate that secondary treated wastewater, particularly from activated sludge processes, can sustainably improve tomato yield and quality while conserving freshwater resources in arid regions. These findings demonstrate the potential of treated wastewater as a sustainable irrigation source for water-scarce Mediterranean agriculture.

The increasing of treated wastewater for irrigation in water-scarce regions increases the risk of heavy metals soil contamination, threatening food safety and human health. This study investigated the synergistic potential of the fungi Trichoderma harzianum and three icia faba L. varieties (Agadulce, Hiba, and Reina mora) for soil bioremediation under wastewater irrigation. A split-plot design under controlled greenhouse conditions assessed the impacts of irrigation type and Trichoderma harzianum inoculation on soil heavy metal content and plant uptake. Although metal concentrations remained within WHO permissible limits, T. harzianum significantly reduced soil metal loads. Specifically, the ‘Reina mora’ cultivar exhibited the superior performance in this dual myco-phytoremediation approach, achieving the highest reduction in soil metal concentrations. Conversely, the ‘Hiba’ variety demonstrated a distinct advantage for food safety by exhibiting the lowest heavy metal accumulation in plant tissues. Risk assessments based on deterministic models indicated negligible non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for both adults and children. This study presents a dual myco-phytoremediation approach as a promising and practical strategy for mitigating heavy metal risks and supporting sustainable crop production in wastewater-irrigated regions.