Faced with the seriousness of the drought raging in Tunisia, the most severe for more than 50 years, the public authorities ended up complying with the evidence and announcing on March 29, 2023 water rationing measures which will continue until the end of next September.
Even belatedly taking note of the appeal by experts who, since last February, have not ceased to recall the urgency of decreeing a state of drought, the Tunisian authorities have taken these measures, in particular because of the drying up of the most dams.
Also aware of the depletion of water resources following the absence of precipitation since the beginning of the year, we realized the extent of the problem which risks plunging the country into thirst and to cause catastrophic effects on an agricultural sector in the midst of a crisis.
Barring a miracle, Tunisians are likely to be thirsty this summer and many sectors are likely to suffer martyrdom from the lack of water.
After a long silence, the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries recognized the seriousness of the situation at the end of March and announced a series of decisions and measures relating to the establishment of a cyclical rotation system. and a temporary ban on certain water uses, which will continue until the end of September 2023.
Specifically, the use of drinking water, supplied by the national water distribution company (Sonede), for agriculture, irrigation of green areas, for cleaning streets and public and for washing vehicles.
These prohibitions were coupled with a warning to offenders. Thus, for wastage of water, Sonede may proceed automatically and without notice to the suspension of the subscription and the stopping of the supply, without prejudice to the legal proceedings that it may initiate once morest offenders.
These offenders also risk a fine of 60 dinars to 1,000 dinars (1 euro = 3.3 dt) and imprisonment from six days to nine months or one of the two penalties only.
The ministry justified these decisions by the succession of years of drought and the drop in water supplies in the dams, which impacted the water reserves which recorded a level never before reached and had a negative impact on the deep water table. .
Mr. Mosbah Helali, CEO of SONEDE spoke regarding the consequences of the lack of rainfall and rising temperatures in Tunisia indicating that SONEDE will adopt the quota system.
For him, this measure is essential insofar as Tunisia is going through four consecutive years of drought. Direct consequence: the filling rate of the dams fell from 80% on March 31, 2019 to 31% on March 31, 2023.
Indeed, the Sidi Salem dam (north-west), the largest dam in Tunisia, has recorded its lowest filling rate since 1982, the date of the start of its operation, specifies the Deputy Director General of Dams and Major Works hydraulics, to the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, Fayçal Khemiri.
The shortfall is estimated at 483 million cubic meters out of a reception capacity of 580 million cubic meters, which is equivalent to 83%.
The filling rate thus amounts to just 17% with only 97 million cubic meters. On the other dams scattered in other regions, the situation is not better either.
The measures taken have been awaited and some experts in the field of hydraulics have multiplied calls since last February for the public authorities to declare a state of drought.
Mr. Abdallah Rabhi, expert consultant in water resources and former Secretary of State in charge of Water Resources and Fisheries, judged that the water situation is very difficult and the rationalization of water use has become an imperative.
This is all the more true since there was only 51% precipitation in the northwest, which represents the water reservoir for all of Tunisia, and 22% precipitation in the southwest.
While arguing that “it is imperative to officially decree the state of drought in Tunisia”, he argues that it is no longer allowed to continue the waste of this resource, judging imperative the transition to a new model of governance which definitively breaks with the old, which has reached its limits.
It goes without saying that the first consequence of the water stress that Tunisia is experiencing will result in a drastic reduction in cereal production and the massive use of imports which might further aggravate the country’s precarious budgetary situation.
Moreover, the vice-president of the national farmers’ union, Mohamed Taher Nabi, acknowledged that there will be a considerable drop in cereal production mainly due to water stress and climate change.
Indeed, the majority of cereal-growing areas including Béja, Zaghouan, Siliana and Le Kef are affected and the cereal germination rate has not exceeded 20%.
According to a study recently published by the Arab Institute of Entrepreneurs (IACE) and entitled “Water stress: economic choice and food security”, water stress is a real threat for Tunisia, especially since the few rainfalls recorded do not might not save the situation and that the dams are still in a precarious situation.
It should be noted that the particularly complicated situation in the country is not new. The alarm bell has been sounding for a long time and pessimistic projections have been made for 2050.
The water stress indicator in the country fell from 66% in 2000 to 109% in 2020 while the availability of water per capital has continued to decline for several years to reach 355 m3/inhabitant/year in 2021, i.e. the third of the international aridity standard (1000m3/inhabitant/year).
Finally, the available volume ratio per inhabitant and per year, which was 450 m3/inhabitant/year in 1996, will only be 315 m3/inhabitant/year by 2030.
Therefore, the vulnerability to climate change, require more than ever a new governance of the sector and the definition of a new strategy which takes into account all the constraints and which presents solutions which immunize Tunisians from the pangs of thirst and lack. some water.
With MAP
