
It took the Minister of the Interior himself to set the record straight. Rumors had been circulating that household water and electricity prices had risen since the introduction of the Regional Multiservice companies (SRMs).
This allegation is contrary to reality, explained Abdelouafi Laftit on Monday June 02 during Question Time at the House of Representatives. This is because, when the management contract came into force, the SRMs adopted the same tariffs as those applied by the former distributors, since they are obliged to do so under the management contract. In fact, the difference lies elsewhere: the increases recorded in some invoices were the direct consequence of irregular meter readings and the low rate of monthly readings carried out by the former distributors.
It is a case of calling a spade a spade: billing was based on estimated consumption rather than actual consumption. Today, under the terms of the management contract, an SRM is obliged to bill on the basis of actual rather than estimated consumption. The Minister noted that, in view of the importance and prospects of this important project, the services were keen to record the comments and complaints of citizens when the MRS came into force.
So, through their various commercial agencies, they receive citizens and provide answers to all requests for explanations. They analyze complaints and deal with them with the precision and speed required, in addition to granting payment facilities when requested in exceptional cases, in the interests of citizens…
Investment program
SRMs have set up an investment program with a total value of 253 billion dirhams (USD 25 billion), of which almost 30% is to be carried out over the first five years.
This is intended to give a strong impetus from the outset of their management to achieve the objectives set. Similarly, the overall budget to achieve the 2025 investment program for the four SRMs created during the first stage exceeds 13 billion dirhams (USD 1.3 billion) exclusive of tax), while the amount allocated to them for the period 2025-2029 has reached almost 44 billion dirhams ( USD 4 billion). These amounts are earmarked for rehabilitating and developing distribution facilities and addressing territorial imbalances and management disparities within a single region.
Between the beginning of October and November 15, 2024, management contracts came into force for four regions. These are Casablanca-Settat, Souss-Massa, Oriental region, and Marrakech-Safi, while that of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region was activated last Sunday, June 01, 2025. The Ministry of the Interior will continue to support the completion of this project by setting up the remaining SRMs in the other regions of the Kingdom by the end of this year.
Mohamed CHAOUI