A multidisciplinary team comprising representatives from the Tunisian ministries of environment, interior, agriculture, and health recently carried out monitoring operations at several industrial sites and activities. The goal was to protect the Majerda and Melyan valleys from pollution. According to the environment ministry's official social media page, the operations covered several sites in different governorates.
In the governorate of Manouba, the monitoring operations covered 18 industrial sites, resulting in 11 environmental infractions, and the proposed temporary closure of three sites. Additionally, four samples were taken from pollution sources. The operations revealed that some activities did not meet national standards and exceeded the maximum allowed limits for discharges into the receiving environment. Further operations are planned in the governorates of Jendouba and Bajah.
The Majerda valley spans across the governorates of Jendouba, Bajah, and Manouba. The monitoring operations aim to mitigate pollution in the valley. In a related effort, the National Environment Protection Agency monitored 10 industrial facilities near the Melyan valley. The agency recorded infractions and prepared a plan with facility owners to improve environmental compliance and install or upgrade wastewater treatment plants.
Six wastewater treatment plants are being built or upgraded in the Melyan valley. One of the plants, located in southern Melyan 2, has a capacity of 90,000 cubic meters per day and is 60% complete. Another project involves upgrading the integrated industrial plant in southern Melyan, which is 70% complete and expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
Other projects include the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Al-Khidiya with a capacity of 2,400 cubic meters per day, which is now operational. Additionally, work is underway to upgrade the Al-Fahs treatment plant, which is 85% complete and expected to be finished by the end of 2026. A new plant in Bir M'charga has a capacity of 2,400 cubic meters per day and is 55% complete.
The Melyan valley spans across the governorates of Ben Arous, Zaghouan, and Siliana, stretching 160 kilometers from its source in Jebel Berkou in Siliana to its mouth in the Gulf of Tunis. The valley's water flow varies depending on rainfall, reaching up to 200 cubic meters per second during flood periods.
The efforts to protect the Majerda and Melyan valleys from pollution are ongoing. The environment ministry and other agencies are working together to monitor industrial activities, enforce environmental regulations, and implement projects to improve wastewater treatment and reduce pollution.
Key points
- Tunisia's environment ministry conducts monitoring operations to protect Majerda and Melyan valleys from pollution
- Operations covered several industrial sites in different governorates, resulting in environmental infractions and proposed closures
- Several wastewater treatment plants are being built or upgraded in the Melyan valley to reduce pollution
