Fez, Morocco

About the IWA Action Agenda for Basin-Connected Cities

The IWA Action Agenda for Basin-Connected Cities builds on the Principles for Water Wise Cities,
with a focus on how cities can be active water stewards in their wider water basins. This includes the
Drivers for Action such as extreme events, declining water quality, and water availability; followed by
the Pathways to Action through assessment, planning and implementation; and the Foundations for
Action from developing a vision to building capacity to improving governance.
To learn more visit - http://www.iwa-network.org/press/the-action-agenda-forbasin-connected-cities/
About the Basin Stories
The basin stories are documenting some of the best practices and approaches that demonstrate how
stakeholders, especially those in urban areas (e.g., city government, water and wastewater utilities,
industries) are taking part or contributing to sustainable management of water resources. Greater
basin-level collaboration from catchment to consumer is essential for sustainable water management
in the face of growing demand on water resources and global change. The stories aim to inspire
urban stakeholders to be aware and respond to what is happening in their watershed.

The city of Fez: Technical and Institutional strengthening for

a sustainable management of water resources
Contributed by Laila Misane, Sebou Hydraulic Basin Agency

Summary

The imperial city of Fez, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, currently has a population
of 1,200,000 inhabitants. Located in the center of the Sebou basin, it covers an area of 100 km2. Water
supply security, industrial pollution and flood risks are the main challenges facing the city. These issues
are mainly addressed, in a concerted and participatory approach, by the integrated water resources
development master plan of the Sebou basin (PDAIRE).

Numerous projects mainly focused on the protection and preservation of water resources are being
carried out thanks to a common and shared vision adopted by all stakeholders at different scales and
the pooling of human and material resources. The goal of this approach is to adopt an inclusive and
lasting water management strategy to promote sustainable development.

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Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/
Problem: Geographic information
Sebou river pollution Country: Morocco
Securing drinking water supply City area and population: Fez, around 100 km2;
Floods risks 1.200.000 inhabitants
Solution: Basin area: Sebou Basin – 40 000 km2
Technical and Institutional
reinforcement for sustainable water
management
Participatory approach

Problem
The City of Fez was founded on the banks of the Oued Fez at the confluence of several rivers. The city has
experienced excessively violent floods in the past that have caused significant damage, and is further
threatened by the effects of climate change. Measures and arrangements for the protection of the
population and their property have been set up in partnership between the stakeholders concerned (Ministry
of the Interior, Ministry of Public Works, Regions, Local Authorities, Basin Agency, etc.). These measures
have benefited from financial support of the FLCN (Fund for Fighting Against Natural Disasters) managed
by the Ministry of the Interior.
The city has a large water supply network managed by the Régie de distribution d'eau et d'électricité de
Fès (RADEEF). The city's drinking water supply rate is 100% and is primarily from the Saiss aquifer.

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However, the overexploitation of this aquifer, which is already in deficit, is impacting security of drinking
water supply in Fez. Therefore, alternative solutions must be put in place using surface water from the
Sebou River, although industrial pollution from local industries is an ongoing problem.

In addition to the water supply network, RADEEF manages an urban wastewater collection network, with a
connection rate of about 90%. Since 2014, an activated sludge treatment plant is treating the wastewater.
The purification efficiency of this wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) varies depending on level of
industrial activity. The treatment of accumulated sludge is through belt filters, and a biogas system has also
been set up to provide the energy needed for the WWTP facilities.

Industries such as tanneries, copper workshops and oil mills do not have treatment or pre-treatment
systems meaning that there are fluctuating pollutant loads, and serious pollutants such as heavy metals
entering the environment. The industrial pollution has seriously inhibited the functioning and efficiency of
the WWTP as there is little treatment prior to discharge. This has led to pollution of the Sebou River which
impacts water use downstream including:

● Degradation of irrigation water quality along the river

● Water releases from upstream dams to dilute pollution
● Degradation of flora and fauna

What are the Drivers for Action?

For more information on the Drivers for Action visit the Action Agenda for Basin-Connected Cities

Extreme Events
☒Public health risk
☒ Damage to infrastructure
☐ Economic activities and supply chain disruption

Declining water quality

☒ High Operating costs
☒ Loss of credibility and trust
☒ Environmental, cultural and health impacts

Water Availability
☒ Water supply disruption
☐ Constraints to growth
☒ Declining quality of life

Solution
Vision Governance Knowledge and abilities
The sustainable management of - A cooperative approach with - Build the knowledge and
water resources through all parties to pool efforts technical capability of all the
technical and institutional -Development of a master parties within the city
reinforcement IWRM plan in collaboration with - Enable exchange of both
all parties knowledge and skills to be able
to adopt the best practices
Planning Tools Implementing Tools

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 - Master Plan for the Integrated - Financial contribution from the
Management of Water State enabled the achievement
Resources in the Sebou Basin of many projects
(PDAIRE) -Incentives through grants and
-Master plan for flood protection financial aids of the State.
of Fez
-Fez industrial pollution control
program

Action areas
The Master Plan for the Integrated Management of Water Resources in the Sebou Basin (PDAIRE) focuses
on the sustainable management of water resources in the Sebou basin including the issues of water
security, flooding and pollution issues within the city and the wider catchment. A specific plan for the city of
Fez has also been included in the PDAIRE. The plan was developed with a participatory and concerted
approach with all concerned stakeholders and has initiated projects to protect and preserve water resources
while supporting the city’s socio-economic development of the city.

Securing of drinking water supply of Fez

Drinking water supply is mainly provided by groundwater from the Saiss aquifer. However, the deficit of this
aquifer, which will likely be amplified by climate change, has an impact on the security of drinking water
supply in Fez. Thus, the use of surface water has become necessary to ensure the supply of drinking water
in the long term, to reduce the pressure on groundwater and to ensure sustainable management of the
Saiss aquifer. A first phase consisting of partially supplying the city with drinking water from the Sebou River
has been implemented. The second phase, currently underway, consists of connecting the city to the first
Idriss dam, which is located about 60 km from the city. These water supply infrastructures will ensure the
supply of drinking water until 2050.

The RADEEF is also making numerous efforts to improve the output of the drinking water distribution
networks, especially in the old Medina. Leakage or non-revenue water across has decreased from 40% in
many parts of the city to about 20% currently and is expected to be less than 10% in the future.

Industrial pollution control

To ensure the proper functioning of the WWTP, an industrial pollution control programme was established
by the partners concerned including the Hydraulic Basin Agency/Sebou, RADEEF, Fez Municipality and
the Department in charge of the Environment] . The involvement of industry was essential for the success
of this programme in recognising the impact of urban industry on the wider catchment. Numerous meetings
and awareness workshops have been organized for the benefit of industries.

This industrial pollution control program has focused on the most polluting industrial units, namely: a large
soft drink company, a yeast factory, a brewery and a textile unit, in addition to tanneries, coppersmiths and
olive oil mills.

Tanneries: These are a historical activity within the Medina of Fez. However, leather working generates a
lot of chromium. The chromium effluents are collected and transported by tanker to the dechromatation
station. This station recovers 90% of the toxic chromium rejected by the tanneries, which is reused by the
tanners.

Copperware: Following a support program for the copperware workshops in the Medina of Fez, simple
facilities and tools to reduce metal losses have been put in place in these units in order to reduce pollution
at the source. These are essentially "soaking baths" that allow the reuse of water and reduce discharge
rich in heavy metals.

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Four other units are equipped with high-tech autonomous treatment systems, or pre-treatment systems.
These systems reduce and homogenize the pollutant load into the city's sewage network. .
This program has been carried out through agreements between all stakeholders, with financial
contributions from government departments and industries.
Oil mills: Discharge from the oil mills located inside the city negatively impacts the operation of the WWTP.
As a result, RADEEF stops the operation of the WWTP during the olive oil production season and
discharges the untreated wastewater into the Sebou River which increases the impact of wastewater
pollution of the river.
To address this problem, many actions have been taken to reduce the levels of pollution through a
cooperative approach including all relevant departments and stakeholders. These actions consist of 1)
organizing awareness meetings with the owners of oil mills to propose technical solutions to the problem;
and 2) providing information on how the owners can benefit from financial aid be implementing pollution
control mechanisms. Thanks to these meetings, some oil mills have been brought up to environmental
standards, although there are still some that need to take action.
Flood risk

Several measures have been implemented within the framework of a program for protection against flood
risks, in partnership between all the stakeholders concerned (Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Equipment,
Municipality, Basin Agency, etc.). These measures have received financial support from the FLCN (Fonds
de lutte contre les catastrophes naturelles) which is managed by the Ministry of Interior.

In addition to structural measures, flood warning and prevention systems are needed for flood risk
management. A telemetry system was implemented in 2012 to predict and announce floods in the city of
Fez. This system provides alerts to parts of the city exposed to the danger of floods.
Announce floods System in the city of Fez

Water planning processes at the basin scale have been undertaken with a participatory approach actively
involving all stakeholders who identify challenges and develop an action plan. The monitoring committee of
this was set up by the Wali (Prefect) of Fez.

Pathways for Action

For more information on the Pathways for Action visit the Action Agenda for Basin-Connected Cities

Assessment
☒ Investment in data and information systems
☐Linking traditional water management with science
☒ Invest in values to motivate decision making in the sector of water

Planning
☒ Risk-based approach to planning

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☐ Water allocation mechanisms
☒ Stakeholder participation in planning and management
☒ Aligning urban development with basin management

Implementing
☐ Integration of natural infrastructure
☒ Economic and financing mechanisms
☐ Building partnerships from catchment to springs
☐ Digital technologies

Lessons learned
To address all water-related challenges, it is necessary to:

● Adopt a cooperative and sustainable approach. The involvement and collaboration of all
stakeholders at all levels of governance, both in the city and in the basin, is essential to achieve the
desired results. The involvement of industries in pollution control programs is crucial, through
awareness raising, exchange and sharing of information on the technologies to be adopted, and
financial support provided by the State.
● Extend sustainable management to the whole basin and not only to the city. The city depends on
its basin for the supply of water resources for the present and the future and for the management of
water-related risks.
● Deploying new technologies for flood warning and prevention as a necessary measure for better
flood management and for the protection of lives and property.
● Ensure financial contribution of government departments to encourage stakeholders to join the
efforts.

Next steps
To address the problem of oil mill discharges, the clean-up process began in 2004 with feasibility and
evaluation studies and. This project was then developed by the International Office for Water and local
stakeholders. The project description, including technical, legal and financial aspects, was presented to
donors at COP23, in 2017.

A pilot project for the treatment and recovery of waste produced by olive oil mills was set up in cooperation
with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project tested Japanese technology for the
treatment and recovery of by-products from olive oil mills. This was an "Oil Temperature Decompression
Dryer" technology which separates, from oil, solid matter and water. Positive results were observed, and
the technology has been integrated into the ongoing phase of the clean-up process. The proposed long
term solution is to relocate all olive oil mills to outside the city and provide a specific area to manage and
treat discharge from the oil mills prior to release to the environment. Secondly, a financial partnership
agreement including all stakeholders and oil mill owners must be developed and signed for the project to
be implemented, which includes the commitments of all stakeholders.

As a leader in integrated water resources management, the Sebou Basin Agency (ABH Sebou) intends to
continue its effort to mobilize all stakeholders across the water sector to develop and adopt a common
strategy based on sustainable and inclusive water resources management.

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 Pilot project for recovery of waste from oil mills of
Fez WWTP
Fez

Resources
http://www.radeef.ma/

Régie Autonome intercommunale de Distribution d'Eau et d'Electricité de la wilaya de Fès

The Fes Autonomous Board of Drinking Water and Power Supply (RADEEF) is a public establishment
of an industrial and commercial nature, with legal personality and financial autonomy, placed under the
supervision of the Ministry of the Interior.

RADEEF was created by a decision of the municipal council of the city of Fez on April 30 and August
29, 1969 by virtue of Dahir n° 1.59.315 of June 23, 1960 relating to the communal organization, and
this after the expiry of the concession contract with the Compagnie Fassie d'Electricité (CFE) for the
distribution of electrical energy.

Currently, RADEEF ensures the distribution of water and electricity as well as the management of the
liquid sewerage network within the city of Fez and the commune of Ain Chkef. It is also responsible for
the distribution of drinking water in the urban communes of Sefrou and Bhalil as well as in the following
rural communes: Bir Tam-Tam, Ras Tabouda, Sidi Harazem, Ain Timgnai, Ouled Tayeb, Douar Ait
Taleb and Douar Ait El Kadi.