Water and Sanitation

Young Moroccan environmentalists from El Haouz in Marrakesh organized an environment campaign to collect solid waste in three nearby villages. Supported by a USAID & Tissilt Association for Development as part of a water resource management project.

USAID/K. Rhanem

Morocco is a water-scarce country confronted with dwindling groundwater reserves and a strong dependence on rain-fed agriculture.  Only 15 percent of total agricultural land is irrigated, resulting in inefficient water use and management. Many rural communities rely on a single water source to sustain families and livelihoods.  The lack of a functioning sanitation network and wastewater treatment system causes already scarce water resources to become contaminated and unsuitable for multipurpose use.

USAID supports water resource management in Morocco by introducing new technologies to help improve agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.  By working with small farmers and private sector firms, such technology reduces operational costs while using less water. To address water supply, sanitation and hygiene, USAID is working with local-level water-supply government institutions – such as River Basin Agencies and Ministry of Agriculture regional offices - to introduce water-efficient technologies and water management tools that promote conservation and increase public awareness and community involvement in water issues.

Impacts in this sector include:

• USAID piloted a Short Message Service (SMS)-based service that sends individually tailored irrigation advice directly to Moroccan farmers’ cell phones to help them optimize their use of agricultural water; 
• USAID helped to rehabilitate the retaining walls of a community’s water reservoir to protect against contamination of the drinking water supply; and
• USAID held community mobilization events to provide information on sanitation and hygiene best practices for 336 heads of households, both men and women, in the Tidili Mesfiouia commune in the south of Morocco.