Tunisia is preparing to face summer with an ambitious promise: avoid repeated water cuts. As of May 7, 2025, the Tunisian dams displayed a filling rate of 39.2 %, or 927 million cubic meters, according to the Secretary of State for Water, Habaieb.
This volume remains below needs, but slightly exceeds the levels reached since 2022. A figure that the government describes as “reassuring”, while admitting that it is insufficient in the face of the high consumption expected during the hot months.
To anticipate the water voltages, several measures are in progress: drilling of new wells, urgent electrification, and visits to the regions where drinking water is difficult to access. Objective: guarantee regular supply during the summer, and constitute a strategic stock for the following year.
The Secretary of State spoke during an intervention at the African Center for the improvement of journalists and communicators (CAPJC), as part of a training on water governance.
The government also plans to update the water code in the next ten days, before presenting it in ministerial council, then in Parliament.
In parallel, the desalination station of Sidi Abdelhamid in Sousse will be delivered in June, while two similar projects are under study in Jendouba and Mahdia, awaiting funding.
The ministry does not forget the impact of tourism, which represents 1 % of national water consumption. Meetings are planned in Tabarka, Hammamet, Sousse and Djerba to educate hoteliers about the need to reduce their consumption.
