Up to July 20, 2023, the filling rate of dams has reached 34.9%, said Hamadi Habaieb, Director General of the Office of Planning and Hydraulic Balances, adding that rainfall during May and June 2023 has led to a 6.9% increase in water stocks.

From September 1, 2022, to July 19, 2023, water resources in the dams amounted to 680 million m3, representing 37% of the volume of inflows, said the official at a regular press conference organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries.

Rainfall in May and June 2023 (from May 10 to June 24) mobilised water inflows of 310 million m3, including 160 million m3 at the Mellègue dam. Nearly 135 million m3 were transferred from the Mellègue dam to the Sidi Salem dam.

As of July 12, 2023, the Sidi Salem dam had stored 235 million m3, enabling it to reach a filling rate of 41%, compared with a rate of 17% recorded on May 1, 2023 (98 million m3).

Referring to the strategy of rationalising water use, in terms of planned irrigation water quotas, Habaieb pointed out that 22.9 million m3 from the Sidi Salem dam were allocated to the delegations of Béja, Manouba, Bizerte, Ariana, Ben Arous, Tunis and Nabeul in July and August.

For the Bouhertma-Méllègue dam system, 52.2 million m3 of water were allocated to the governorates of Jendouba, Kef and Béja, including 12.7 million m3 for July and August.

As for the Nebhana system, 4.5 million m3 have been scheduled for the governorates of Kairouan, Monastir, Sousse and Mahdia, including 1 million m3 for July and August.

The Ministry of Agriculture has also introduced a plan to rationalise the use of irrigation water in order to combat uncontrolled drilling, as well as awareness-raising campaigns.

The decision by the Minister of Agriculture to temporarily ban certain uses of water and impose a system of short-term rationing to deal with the country's current water shortage has saved almost 100,000 m3 per day.

Nearly 1,110 offences have been recorded, including 442 for irrigating agricultural land, 148 for irrigating green spaces and 263 for washing cars, he concluded.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse