This situation highlighted the importance of water demand management to balance water demand with the water available.
Within this framework, a policy initiative was undertaken to contain the water demand of the area. This was based primarily on tariff measures, raising awareness of water saving opportunities among users, improved efficiency of supply (production and distribution), involvement of the private sector in water distribution.
The considerable fall in the demand for water can be explained essentially by the steps taken, aimed at rationalising the use of drinking water. The main ones are:
Pricing: Progressive pricing which, while favouring access to drinking water among low-income social groups, acts as an incentive against wastage. Pricing is the most dissuasive factor, which has contributed significantly to saving water and conserving water resources in the Rabat-Casablanca coastal area. In effect, the introduction of progressive pricing and large rises in the price of water, which had practically stagnated before the 1980s, led to major reductions in the demand for water.
Awareness of water saving: Children and young people were targeted by specific campaigns in schools, holiday camps, girls' homes, youth centres, shows and fairs by means of displays, exhibitions, competitions, and the distribution of documents suited to different age groups. The private companies which distribute water in the coastal area also make an effective contribution to raising the awareness of users towards water saving.
Institutional reform: Because of the substantial investments needed to distribute drinking water properly and to develop waste-water systems, the urban councils in this area delegated the management of drinking water and electricity distribution, and the management of the waste-water systems to the private sector.
Technical improvements relating to the prevention of loss: The technical causes of water loss occur generally either in faulty metering, or through losses in the pipes and connections. As for public bodies, several lines of action have been taken to help them to rationalise their consumption of water. The main ones are the system of payment by vouchers and individual connections being made obligatory in staff accommodation.