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Rabat – The latest annual report of the Moroccan Court of Auditors highlighted the lingering issue of water shortage in Morocco, calling for a set of measures to manage and finance the water sector and combat water stress.
Published on Monday, March 14, the report audits the accounts and oversees the implementation of projects in various sectors.
In it, the Court of Auditors stated that since independence, Moroccan public authorities have set a planned and proactive policy to fight the decline in water resources, which yielded tangible results.
While the policy has yielded results, the accelerating fluctuations due to climate change call for the doubling of efforts to tackle Morocco’s water challenges, the report added.
In particular, the Court urged the Ministry of Equipment and Water to promote integrated management of water resources by ensuring greater protection of groundwater and favoring rational use of surface water.
To achieve this, the report said, it is crucial to mobilize the necessary funds for implementing programs tailored to encourage the use of non-standard water resources, especially desalination, the use of wastewater, and rainwater collection.
The Court also urged the ministry to protect dams against dam sludge and finalize the projects related to connecting water basins.
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In addition, the Court called on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests to accelerate programs of transitioning to localized irrigation and complete the hydro-agricultural installations of the new dams and agricultural facilities.
The Ministry of Equipment and Water should rationalize the allocation of financial resources related to the water sector and improve the effectiveness of the investments by adopting innovative financing mechanisms, the report noted.
It additionally urged the same ministry to integrate the “water – energy – agriculture” triangle in a way that allows the convergence and integrity of the three sectors as well as their policies.
Also recommended by the Court is the need for reviving the use of integrated water management to track water usage and provide more accurate measurements of national water needs and consumption.
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In line with provisions in Law 15-36, the Ministry of Equipment and Water should also revise water regulations and take necessary measurements to determine and protect public water through protection zones, argued the report.
To the Ministry of the Interior and the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water, the Court’s report noted the urgency of adopting appropriate procedures to expropriate property for public projects, such as launching water infrastructure projects.
The Court also suggested that the Ministry of the Interior and the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water review the water and sanitation tariff system to sustain water financing and guarantee the financial balance of the running institutions while taking into account vulnerable groups.
In addition, the report proposed that the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water evaluate the experience related to merging the water and electricity sectors and take the necessary measures to improve the Office’s financial situation.
In terms of communication and awareness-raising, the report urged the Ministry of Equipment and Water to develop a comprehensive communication and sensitizing strategy to encourage changes in the behavior of water-users.
