Reports by Morocco’s regional audit courts have flagged serious irregularities in so-called “thirst contracts” tied to water supply projects in Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and Beni Mellal-Khenifra, sources told Hespress.
Inspectors uncovered suspected collusion and legal breaches in contracts for wells, boreholes, pipelines and water tankers, with inflated costs and poor quality supplies.
The findings, which cover deals from 2021 to 2023, are expected to trigger prosecutions of commune presidents and local officials before financial crimes courts.
According to the sources, auditors documented cases where elected officials allegedly pressured water basin agencies and the equipment ministry to redirect borehole projects away from areas in real need to locations that served political or personal interests.
The probes were prompted by complaints received by the Court of Accounts, which guided the work of regional audit teams.
The scrutiny comes amid repeated heat waves and mounting water scarcity. Provincial governors and local officials have been instructed by the Interior Ministry to tighten oversight of water resources, accelerate delayed rural supply projects and raise awareness on conservation. Preliminary reports by local authorities had already accused certain communes of mishandling contracts meant to secure drinking water.
Audit teams are now cross-checking project files with technical requirements to determine whether borehole drilling and supply schemes complied with specifications and truly benefited the most affected villages.
The investigations target both completed and ongoing projects, highlighting the stakes of ensuring transparent management of scarce water resources as rural communities continue to struggle with access to potable water.
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