Reforming water management and protecting groundwater

Context

Tunisia is an extremely arid country. At the same time, its water resources are being overused. This overexploitation comes at the expense of groundwater reserves, some of which have built up over many decades or even centuries. As a result, the groundwater level has been falling continuously for over 20 years. The responsible administration is not able to stop uncontrolled extraction – mainly for agricultural irrigation – and to encourage all users to use water more sparingly.

Objective

Water authorities restrict the overuse of groundwater and encourage water users to use water more consciously. This allows them to achieve an even water balance between supply and consumption.

Approach

The project supports the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Sea Fishery in developing laws and processes to deal with illegal water extraction. It allows the authorities to classify illegal drilling and confiscate unauthorised drilling material. The project also trains experts and judges.

In addition, it also uses training and public awareness campaigns to raise awareness among sections of the Tunisian population, such as students and pupils, to use water sparingly. At the same time, it promotes the acceptance of the administration’s regulatory measures and offers communication training for high-ranking ministry personnel.

The project is also working with the water authorities in four pilot regions to draw up plans for environmentally sound groundwater management. Its measures involve all water users.

Last update: January 2024