The Tunisian Water Observatory has called for an emergency investment program to renew drinking water and irrigation networks, reduce water leaks, and support the National Company for Water Exploitation and Distribution. This appeal comes amid increasing pressure on water resources and declining efficiency of distribution networks. The observatory noted that despite improved dam water levels during spring 2026, the summer saw continued water outages and increased leaks.
The observatory's coordinator, Alaa Marzouki, presented a report on the water situation in Tunisia, highlighting that the country has reached a "water stress" stage. The per capita share of water resources has decreased to between 380 and 430 cubic meters per year, down from around 500 cubic meters previously. This is expected to decline further to approximately 200 cubic meters per year by 2050.
Marzouki stated that the exploitation of groundwater has exceeded its renewable capacity, with an estimated annual extraction of 3217 million cubic meters, compared to 2412 million cubic meters of renewable resources. He also noted that Tunisia has around 33,000 random wells pumping approximately 827 million cubic meters of water per year illegally, accounting for 26% of the national extraction.
The observatory reported that despite improved dam water levels during spring 2026, the summer saw repeated disruptions in water supply. There was significant pressure on water resources in coastal and western regions, while the capacity of the Medjerda canal was limited. Additionally, areas near dams continued to experience water shortages due to issues with water management systems in the northwest.
The observatory also highlighted the continued outages and delayed full exploitation of seawater desalination plants in the central and southern regions. Furthermore, there was a significant loss of water in distribution networks, with a physical loss of 23% in the national company's networks during the summer of 2026, and around 30% in public irrigation networks.
The National Water Strategy aims to improve the efficiency of drinking water and irrigation networks and increase the valorization of treated wastewater to 80% by 2050. The observatory recommended completing the legislative framework to achieve this goal and accelerating the approval of the Water Code. They also called for support for water management systems and the settlement of energy debt issues.
The Tunisian Water Observatory's recommendations aim to address the country's water scarcity challenges and ensure the sustainability of water services, particularly in rural and inland areas. The observatory's report was based on reliable sources, including reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Maritime Fisheries, as well as a recent World Bank report on Tunisia's water situation.
Key points
- The Tunisian Water Observatory has called for an emergency program to renew drinking water and irrigation networks and reduce water leaks.
- Tunisia has reached a "water stress" stage, with a per capita share of water resources declining to between 380 and 430 cubic meters per year.
- The country's water strategy aims to increase the valorization of treated wastewater to 80% by 2050.
