Water stock in dams reached 813 million cubic metres (m3) by February 28, 2024, including 755 million m3 from dams in the North, said Managing Director of Rural Engineering and Water Exploitation Abdelhamid Mnajja. Speaking at the regular press conference held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, he pointed out that the water stock (813 million m3), recorded for the first time in three years thanks to the latest rainfall, account for only 35.1% of storage capacity and a fill rate of 22%. The official recalled that at the end of November 2023, water stock had totalled 512 million m3, up by 94 million m3 compared with the same date last year. However, the water stock is still below the average recorded over the last three years, by 182 million m3. For the current season, water inflows to dams stood at 493 million m3, i.e. 40% of the average inflow for the same period, given the drought and rainfall deficit registered during the autumn season. Compared with the same pe riod in 2023, these inflows are up by 220 million m3. Nonetheless, water inflows to some of the main dams, such as those at Al Harka, Sejnane and Ziatine in the north, remain low. The situation at the Nebhana dam in the centre, which supplies drinking water and irrigation water for 5 governorates, calls for a specific action programme to resolve the water shortage and meet needs, the official pointed out. "Faced with this situation, we need to be more vigilant, as studies show that the future will be more difficult, notably with the succession of years of drought," he concluded. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse