Algeria accuses Morocco of polluting Hammam Boughrara Dam

Algeria has accused Morocco of causing pollution at Hammam Boughrara Dam near the two countries’ shared border, with Interior Minister Brahim Merad describing the situation as a “systematic attack”, the Algerian Press Service (APS) reported.

Speaking during a field visit to Tlemcen province in western Algeria on Tuesday, Merad said: “This phenomenon is not innocent and is considered a systematic attack.” He added that the authorities would refer the matter to senior officials to take the necessary measures in coordination with relevant national and international bodies.

Merad made the remarks during a visit by a ministerial delegation to the border area of Maghnia, on the instructions of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The delegation included the ministers of water resources, environment, health and communication.

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APS reported that test results presented by specialists showed signs of chemical and microbial contamination, including heavy metals and traces of pharmaceutical substances, as well as reduced oxygen levels in the water.

Karim Arab, director-general of Algeria’s National Observatory for the Environment and Sustainable Development, warned that the dam’s environmental condition was “extremely worrying”. He said nitrates and ammonia had been detected, alongside low levels of dissolved oxygen at depths of between nine and 12 metres.

Meanwhile, Algerian Water Resources Minister Lounas Bouzegza said the necessary water treatment measures had been taken to ensure the safety of supplies from the dam to 14 municipalities in western Tlemcen, in line with approved quality standards.

Algerian MPs have called for the case to be referred to the relevant international bodies and courts, describing it as an attack on transboundary water resources.

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