Algeria: 400 Moroccan industrial units cited in cross-border pollution case

At a symposium in Tlemcen, more than 400 industrial units in Morocco’s Oujda region were discussed in connection with pollution affecting Algeria’s Hammam Boughrara dam, which is fed in part by the cross-border Mouilah River. A study by Dr. Lotfi Benadda of the University of Tlemcen, based on data collected from 2009 to 2019, found deteriorating water quality, including elevated levels of organic matter and nutrients. Field observations also noted accumulated waste, foam, murky water and colored effluents near some industrial facilities in Oujda. The study also identifies potential pollution sources on the Algerian side and says further investigations are needed to establish responsibility.