Amidst Morocco’s extreme water crisis, a poll was published by Hespress AR to ask Moroccans if they support strict measures to preserve the water. The majority or 80.90% said yes.
Morocco, with 600 cubic meters (21,000 cubic feet) of water per capita per year, is already well below the World Health Organization’s water scarcity threshold of 1,700 cubic meters per capita per year.
Water availability was four times greater in the 1960s, at 2,600 cubic meters. According to a July World Bank report on the Moroccan economy, the country is experiencing “structural water stress” due to a decrease in the availability of renewable water resources.
Illegal withdrawals from wells, springs, or waterways are also prohibited.
The government intends to construct 20 seawater desalination plants by 2030, which should meet most of the nation’s needs.
Ali Charroud, a climate expert, highlighted the necessity to raise awareness about the water scarcity problem that Morocco is facing so that citizens take it seriously.
The expert explained that there is a fear of “not being able to ensure self-sufficiency” because of the growing scarcity, saying that this is a medium to a long-term problem.
He said that “Procedures don’t always have to be strict” and suggested taking more initiatives to raise awareness, from starting to place billboards nationwide and involving mainstream media to sensitize citizens by strengthening advertising methods on television.
The climate expert stressed that if measures and decisions are taken in this regard, they should be properly implemented by the authorities.
He called for laws and frameworks to ensure that the decisions will be applied properly and demanded fines to be linked with the decisions.
Charroud clarified that it is not the citizens who exhaust the water supply, instead, industrial facilities and others like restaurants, mines, and more are responsible for what’s happening.
“These facilities should be aware of the ongoing crisis,” said the expert.
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