Water Management: Morocco Prepares a National Framework to Centralize Water Data
Addressing Water Resource Management Challenges
In response to growing challenges in water resource management, Morocco is taking a significant step in modernizing its water sector. The Water Department has initiated a project to create a national reference dictionary for water data, designed to harmonize, centralize, and facilitate information sharing among various stakeholders in the field.
Currently, ministries, public institutions, local authorities, companies, hydraulic basin agencies, and associations produce their own data. This multitude of sources complicates data utilization due to differing reference frameworks, heterogeneous formats, and a lack of coordination among information systems.
Establishing a Common Language for All Institutions
The future reference framework will serve as a common foundation for defining standardized norms for the collection, management, and sharing of water-related data.
This initiative is part of the development of the Integrated Water Information System (IWISE), which aims to enhance the flow of information between the various concerned administrations and institutions.
Data will need to be standardized, easily reusable, secure, and accessible according to common rules to ensure better information quality and more effective utilization.
Three Steps to Build the Platform
The project’s implementation will consist of several phases.
The first phase will involve conducting a comprehensive assessment of existing data, identifying information producers, the systems in use, data exchange flows, and the metadata associated with each information type.
The second phase will focus on the actual design of the reference framework. Data will be classified, harmonized, and organized according to standardized models to create a coherent architecture that facilitates its utilization by all stakeholders.
Lastly, the final phase will involve developing the digital platform and deploying it among the partner administrations and organizations.
A Secure and Accessible Digital Platform
The future portal will be developed using C#/.NET Core technologies and a PostgreSQL database.
Accessible from computers, tablets, and smartphones, it will enable users to consult metadata, track information exchanges among different agencies, and visualize dashboards for managing the sector.
The specifications also provide for a high level of cybersecurity. Each data point will be uniquely identified, its history retained, and access strictly controlled according to the requirements of the General Directorate for Information Systems Security (DGSSI).
A Tool for Public Decision-Making
Beyond its technical aspects, this project aims to strengthen water governance in Morocco.
By improving the quality, availability, and flow of data, the future reference framework will provide decision-makers with reliable information to plan investments, monitor the status of water resources, and anticipate risks associated with water scarcity.
The harmonized data will ultimately feed into a national information repository designed to produce indicators, dashboards, and decision-making tools, fostering better coordination among administrations and more effective management of this strategic resource.
In a context marked by dwindling water resources and the effects of climate change, this initiative represents a significant step towards more modern, collaborative, and data-driven governance.
