The recent rainfall in Tunisia has rekindled optimism about overcoming the drought that has plagued the country in recent years.
Hamadi Al-Habib, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, said that dam revenues are significantly better compared to last year, despite a decrease of approximately 70 million cubic meters. He noted that water levels were at their lowest due to prolonged drought periods over the past five years.
As of Tuesday, the dam filling rate reached 23.3%, with a total water stock of 240 million cubic meters. Al-Habib highlighted that the recent rains primarily affected the central and southern governorates, positively impacting rainfed agriculture and replenishing the water table. He pointed out that the northwestern regions experienced “good” rainfall, reaching about 90%, although this did not significantly increase the dam stock.
Hussein Al-Rahili, an expert in development and water resources, confirmed that December saw the highest rainfall in the last four years.
He mentioned that Sidi Salem, Tunisia's largest dam, reached its lowest historical level at just 15.2%. This situation prompted authorities to transfer water from Bouhertma Dam to Sidi Salem Dam to ensure a continuous supply of drinking water to 13 out of the 24 governorates that depend on it.
Al-Rahili suggested that if the rainfall continues in the coming months, the situation could improve compared to last year, potentially raising the dam filling rate to 30% or 35%. Achieving this level would help alleviate water pressure as Tunisia enters the summer months.
Tunisia has about 37 dams, with Sidi Salem being the most prominent, along with several mountain lakes, primarily located in the northern region.
Since the beginning of 2023, fluctuations in the availability of potable water in Tunisia have increased. In March 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture announced, for the first time, that the distribution of potable water would continue until September of the same year. Water cuts have been implemented at night in several neighborhoods of Tunis since the end of March 2023, as part of a scheduled distribution system aimed at managing water consumption.
In an official statement at that time, the Ministry of Agriculture noted, "The country is officially beginning a temporary system for supplying potable water, prohibiting its use in agriculture, watering green areas, cleaning streets, and washing cars due to the severe drought that has left our dams nearly empty."
