Tunisia ranks in the category of countries with the least resources water in

the Mediterranean . For a population of 11 million, the total renewable water

resources per capita is estimated to 415 m3 (2014) and is largely under the
penury threshold of 1000 m3. This values is set to gradually decrease to 350
m3 in 2030.

Total water resources availability (Billion of cubic meters)

Shallow
Surface groundwater
water (0,65 - 15%)
(2,7 - 56%)
Deep
groundwater
(1,4 - 29%)

Global water resources : 4.825 billion of m3

Water ressources in Tunisia are limited and

characterised by high spatial disparities.
 Surface water resources : 2.17 billion of m3
The main permanent surface rivers
which drain to the sea are in the
north, mostly rising in the northwest
and flowing eastwards: 2190 Mm3/y.
(46% of surface flow)

In the arid central area, surface rivers

are ephemeral, flowing only for a few
days or weeks a year: 230 Mm3/y.
(12% of surface flow)

In the south, surface flows are rare

and low: 190 m3/y (6% of surface
flow).

None of these central and southern ephemeral flows

reach the sea; instead, surface water infiltrates over
plains or in inland depressions (sabhkas)
 2.125 billion of m3
Deep aquifers Shallow aquifers
267 entities lodging 1.38 billion 212 entities lodging
of m3 (0.65 are no renewable). 0.745 billion of m3.

60 60

40 40

20 20

0 0
North Centre South North Centre South

50% of deep groundwater are non renewable.

Most important reservoirs are located in southern Tunisia and are

transboundaries aquifers shared with Algeria and Libya.
Nappes sous-exploitées
Nappes en équilibre
Nappes surexploitées
 2,16
436.6 Mm3/y 2008
90.4Mm3 Mm3/an
/an 22%
5% 1,950 Mm3/y
90%
249 294Mm
Mm3/an 3/an

12% 13% central Tunisia

148%.

650 Geographical distribution of exploitation

rate
Mm3/an
33% 33% 22%

5%

230
Mm3/an
12%
12% 15%
13%
Nord-Est Nord-Ouest Tunisie Centrale
Kairouannais-Sahel Sud-Est Sud-Ouest
 5% 1%

11%
Agriculture
Eau potable
Industrie
Domestique

83%

Agriculture still remains

the largest consumer of
water resources in
Tunisia.
 20% of total shallow reserves
Salinité < 1500 ppm have a salinity less than 1.5 g/l.
1500 < Salinity < 3000 ppm
3000 < Salinity < 5000 ppm

Salinity < 5000 ppm

98% of southern shallow aquifers
Calcareous or sandstone aquifer have salinity higher than >1.5 g/l.
 Water management authority
The Ministry of Agriculture, water resources and fishing (MAWRF) is the
main government authority in charge of water resources. It is mainly
responsible of water resources, agricultural withdrawals, supply for domestic
and other uses. The DGRE is one of the main departments that play key
roles in integrated water resources management. It is mandated to:
Direction Générale des Ressources en Eau,
General Directorate of Water Resources

BUREAU DE L'INVENTAIRE ET
DES RECHERCHES Develop operational methods in order to balance
HYDRAULIQUES
supply and demand;
Develop mobilization plans for surface and
DIRECTION DES EAUX DE groundwater exploitation in rural and urban areas;
SURFACE
Promote research and experimentation on
DGRE

conventional and nonconventional water resources

DIRECTION DES EAUX NON and on sustainable fulfillment of water systems;
CONVENTIONNELLES ET DE
LA RECHARGE ARTIFICIELLE Manage quantity and quality monitoring network
(rivers, groundwater aquifers, dams, lakes, etc9);
Develop basic and applied research to the
DIRECTION DES EAUX identification of all available water resources.
SOUTERRAINES

All following data concerning water

resources are referred to the DGRE
 Water management Policies

1. First : an intensive mobilization of available water

(1990 – 2000)
Guideline plan for the water use in

The north
The center
The south

Hydraulic infrastructure:

dams
hill dams
Lakes
Ground water withdrawn
Dense well network
M..
Surface Water :
Big dams (31) : 1985 Mm3/an
Hill dams (226) : 272 Mm3/an
Hill lakes (856) : 86 Mm3/an

Groundwater :
• 215 Shallow aquifers
• 314 Deep aquifers
• 91 Over exploited aquifers
• 6255 Extraction deep wells and springs
• 308 Artesian aquifers
• 94 Springs
• 100 000 boreholes
 Mobilized water resources increased from 60% to 93% during
the 1990-2009 period.

4500

4000

3500
Mobilisation des eaux (m3/y)

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
1990 2001 2004 2006 2009
 Water management Policies

2. Then : controlling the needs (2001 – 2011)

Technical measurements : Enhancing natural processes

Artificial recharge of groundwater reservoir : Releasing water and

basin recharge, Infiltration Basins and Quarries, Recharge through river
bed, spreading flow water by wadi derivation ‘Mgoud’, Water and soil
conservation devices, Injection well recharge.

Transfert between regions

Unconventional water resources

Reuse of treated wastewater

Desalinisation of brackish water.
 Total Recharge volume (1992-2010): 750 000 m3 (35 000 m3/year)

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Source of water
Surface water (Dams) : 99 % (34,8 millions m3)
Treated waste water : 1 % (0,2 millions m3)


Water tranfer is largely used to

reduce regional disparities and
ensure drinking water for
greatest cities in the North and
the South
M..but sometimes enhances
regional water conflicts.
 Water management Policies

3. Actually: Long term strategy (2030)

Pollution remediation/prevention

Legislative and institutional measurements

Incitative action for water saving techniques in agriculture;
Implication of different stakeholders (end-users);
Regulation of fertilizers and pesticides uses;
Protection and interdiction areas.
 Water use rate evolution since 50’s

100% 91%
90% 81%
80%
70% 62%

60%
50%
40%
30%
20% 8% 10%
10%
0%
54/70 70/80 80/93 93/97 Nowadays
Some of the problems that have to be resolved:
Mediterranean climate variability
Poor water quality (salinity)
Hydrogeological system disturbance
Overexploitation of groundwater and water waste
Salt water intrusion in the coastal zones
Reduction of the refillment area of aquifers
Dam efficiency for water regulation management
Pollution from industrial, urban and agricultural water waste.

MM..
Supply of water to different uses has become more
difficult. The saturation of the use of water resource
is expected to happen soon.

As a consequence, Tunisia will face a major

challenge: the rational exploitation of an
increasingly scarce and expensive natural resource.

This challenge is linked to other constraints and

problems such as food security, unemployment
and regional imbalance.