HIBAPRESS – Figuig
The residents of the Ain Chawater commune, belonging to the Figuig province, are suffering from the continued exacerbation of the drinking water crisis. The entire population is still consuming salty and undrinkable water, despite the presence of a water purification and desalination plant in the area.
Many families in this border and remote commune were surprised in recent days to receive exorbitant water consumption bills exceeding 1000 dirhams, with threats of water supply disconnection if not paid. What increased the residents' resentment is that they did not receive any prior notices or bills informing them of the calculation method, in addition to the fragile social and economic situation of most families who rely on limited daily income that does not allow them to bear these sudden financial burdens.
In light of this situation, the association activist Redouane Benhamad Sebaai El Idrissi, on behalf of the affected residents, sent an urgent appeal to the provincial authorities and concerned parties to intervene immediately and provide justice to the residents by fulfilling the following demands: Clarify the criteria and method of calculating these bills; Reveal the reasons for not notifying the residents of the bills during the previous period; Consider the difficult social and economic conditions of the residents of this border strip; Find a fair solution that guarantees the residents' right to access potable water without burdening them with financial costs beyond their capacity.
The residents affirm that access to potable water is a basic right, not a luxury, and they implore the responsible authorities to intervene urgently to lift the harm and find a settlement that takes into account the specificity of the region and the circumstances of its inhabitants.
