Casablanca-Settat steps up rural drinking water access

This update focuses on Casablanca-Settat rural water. The Casablanca-Settat region is entering a new phase to secure drinking water access in its rural communes, with a major programme that will reshape daily life for thousands of families.

Casablanca-Settat rural water: a structuring programme

The Regional Multi-Service Company (SRM) Casablanca-Settat is leading, together with the regional authorities, a large-scale plan to strengthen and generalise drinking water access in rural centres and douars.

The initiative is part of the National Programme for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020-2027 (PNAEPI). It carries an overall budget of 350.8 million dirhams, covering studies, technical assistance and land acquisition.

Funding is shared between the Interior Ministry, which provides 245.6 million dirhams, and the General Directorate of Local Authorities, which contributes 105.2 million dirhams.

Centres, douars and water points targeted

The Casablanca-Settat rural water projects cover several provinces: Settat, Berrechid, Benslimane, El Jadida and Sidi Bennour. The core objective is to reduce territorial inequalities in access to drinking water and bring this essential service closer to rural communities.

In practice, the programme includes:

• drinking water supply for 25 centres, with a budget of 150 million dirhams;
• better service for 341 douars, for 150.8 million dirhams;
• construction of water points in 80 douars, for 50 million dirhams.

Depending on the type of project, works range from building to upgrading catchment, storage, treatment and distribution infrastructure for the areas concerned.

Focus on Sidi Bennour and El Jadida

Within this framework, SRM Casablanca-Settat directly manages and supervises projects worth around 44 million dirhams including tax, in the provinces of Sidi Bennour and El Jadida.

In Sidi Bennour, the programme targets six centres: Sebt Lamaarif, Ouled Amrane, M’Tal, Metrane, Ouled Si Bouhya and Bni Hilal. The total budget there reaches 35 million dirhams including tax.

Works focus on creating or upgrading drinking water supply and distribution networks, to secure households’ access and support demographic growth in these territories.

What it means for families and return plans

For families originally from these provinces, including Moroccans living abroad, the generalisation of Casablanca-Settat rural water access is a key factor. It weighs on decisions to invest in land or a house in the douar, and on gradual return plans.

Reliable drinking water service lowers installation costs and reduces reliance on tanker trucks or uncertain wells. It can also increase the value of rural land, small farms and family or agri-tourism projects.

To check progress or see whether a specific douar is covered, Moroccans abroad can contact their home communes, the Casablanca-Settat regional services or consult official government portals. Before any building or renovation project, it remains advisable to request written confirmation on water networks and the expected connection timeframe.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.

For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.