Morocco Cracks Down on Car Washes Amid Drought-Driven Water Crisis

A large-scale control operation of car wash garages using drinking water has been launched in Salé and Rabat, following the circular sent to the various walis and governors of the kingdom regarding the need to activate measures to combat waste. Warnings have been given in advance to those who were caught using drinking water, reports the daily Al Akhbar. Local authorities are also checking water and electricity bills with the aim of seeing if these garages are using drinking water excessively to wash cars. These operations resulted in the closure of some car wash garages that do not comply with the latest directives from the Ministry of the Interior.

In a recent circular, the department of Abdelouafi Laftit asked local authorities to take a set of measures to eradicate the water stress affecting Morocco. These include the prohibition of the use of drinking water in certain activities such as watering green spaces and golf courses, washing roads and public squares, the prohibition of illegal water withdrawals from wells, wells, springs, watercourses and water transport canals.