The National Water Company of Tunisia has developed a multi-year strategy to provide clean drinking water and ensure its availability, despite water scarcity and climate change. The strategy, which was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, focuses on four main areas: supporting and securing water supply to cities and major consumption centers, developing major water infrastructure in rural areas, implementing a general program for water conservation and improving network efficiency, and a general program for energy transition.
The strategy aims to support and secure water supply to cities and major consumption centers by increasing the transfer of excess water from the north to major cities in Tunisia, such as Tunis, and other regions like the Sahel and Sfax. The company plans to use large reservoirs, or regulating dams, to ensure water supply to these areas. Additionally, the company will support water resources in regions that lack local water sources by desalting groundwater and seawater in coastal and southern regions.
The development of major water infrastructure in rural areas includes the construction of medium-sized water treatment plants, such as those in Ksab and Jomine, as well as main water supply channels and water storage and regulation facilities. The general program for water conservation and improving network efficiency aims to rehabilitate and develop distribution networks to reduce water loss and promote individual consumption and governance of demand.
The general program for energy transition aims to improve energy efficiency in production and pumping facilities by 15% by 2030, and to integrate renewable energy sources, such as small hydropower and photovoltaic power, to meet 30% of total energy consumption by 2035. The company has also prepared an emergency program to address the 2027 summer season, which includes four main areas of intervention: Tunis, the north, the center, and the south.
For the Tunis region, the company has prepared a plan that includes five interventions, such as the construction of three pumping stations and the drilling and electrification of two wells to support water resources in the Mernak region. In the north, the emergency program includes 19 interventions, mostly related to supporting water resources by drilling or connecting new wells. In the center, the program aims to improve water supply in nine areas by acquiring and installing 20,000 meters of pipes and 12 pumps, as well as equipping four pumping stations with backup pumps.
In the south, the company has prepared a program that includes 43 interventions, mainly related to exploiting available groundwater resources by drilling deep wells, particularly in areas that rely entirely on groundwater. The program also includes the renewal and rehabilitation of water supply and distribution networks to improve network efficiency, as well as maintenance operations and the management of water demand through water conservation and the detection and repair of leaks.
The implementation of these strategies and programs will help address water scarcity and ensure access to clean drinking water in Tunisia, particularly in regions that face significant challenges in terms of water resources. The company's efforts will also contribute to the country's goals of reducing energy consumption and promoting renewable energy sources.
Key points
- The National Water Company of Tunisia has launched a multi-year strategy to address water scarcity and ensure access to clean drinking water.
- The strategy focuses on four main areas: supporting and securing water supply, developing major water infrastructure, implementing a general program for water conservation, and a general program for energy transition.
- The company has prepared an emergency program to address the 2027 summer season, which includes interventions in four main areas: Tunis, the north, the center, and the south.
