legal text treating water resources in Morocco date from 1914. After this date, other texts had been progressively prepared, following the new conditions governing the public hydraulic domain which had to be regulated.

The Water Law allowed the implementation of recent trends in water management through the establishment of Basin Agencies in 1999. The mission of the Basin Agencies is to value, to plan and to manage water resources in the respective Hydraulic Basin. As they have access to their own financial sources (royalties, loans, subsidies, grants), Basin Agencies can grant loans, helps and subsidies to all moral or physical investor in management or protection of water resources. In brief, through the introduction of the polluter- pays and the user-pays principles, the new law gives means to finance the rehabilitation of water bodies. The application of these principles is in progress of finalization.

The Water law fixes the geographical setting of the resource exploitation: the Basin, which constitutes the focus area for local integrated water management plans, to in their turn, contribute to the development of the National Water Plan.

The Communal Charter confides to the local collectivities the responsibility for providing public water services. It is under regular refinements, so as to ensure its adaptation to the evolution of the political and socio-economic context.

Law n° 31-00 (Dahir n° 1–00–266 of September 1st, 2000) was adopted in the context of implementing the development strategy of sewerage services. Through this Law, the ONEP has been designated responsible for the management of sewerage services in communities, when the management of these services has been entrusted to him by decision of the respective Local Community Council. The Law has been preceded by similar decrees on the transfer of sewerage service management from communes to the regies.

- Law n° 11 - 03 on  the protection and the enhancement of the environment in Morocco

- Law n° 12 - 03 on Environmental  Impact Assessments

- Decree of October 17, 2002 on water reuse for irrigation

Other projects of direct, and indirect discharge standards are in progress of adoption.