Water policy in Algeria: limits of supply model and perspectives of water demand management (WDM)

Nabil Kherbache

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Abstract: In a context combined with demand increase and climate change phenomenon, water scarcity will intensify hence the necessity of efficient water policy. This paper aims to propose an analysis advocating a transition from the supply-side management of water resources to demand-side management (water demand management) for Algeria. Despite many efforts towards building infrastructure, hydraulic engineering and the process of institutional reforms in Algeria from 1999 to 2019, water management continues to focus on upstream water mobilization without downstream valorization. Water policy in Algeria suffers from several major deficiencies: (1) constraints in the absorptive capacity of capital expenditure; (2) low level of water efficiency in drinking water and in agricultural water; (3) under-utilization of capacities in hydraulic equipment; (4) siltation of dams and reservoirs; and, (5) multidimensional dependence on foreign economies. This nation-wide policy is characterized by a lack of institutional coordination and many multi-level governance gaps. This paper demonstrates that water policy in Algeria is in the transitional phase. The present challenge is to reduce the duration of this transition to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in particular the SDG 6.

Keywords: Water; Water policy; Water scarcity; Supply-side management; Water demand management (WDM); Algeria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-03-17
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Desalination and Water Treatment, 2020, 180 (2020), pp.141-155. ⟨10.5004/dwt.2020.25009⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02510528

DOI: 10.5004/dwt.2020.25009

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