Emergency Water Supply Program for Summer 2026
The government has announced an emergency program of 81 projects to secure the supply of drinking water during the summer of 2026. The program includes:
- Drilling 38 new deep wells
- Renovating 26 pumping stations
- Reinforcing distribution networks in several regions of the country
Background
These measures were discussed during a restricted ministerial council meeting on water management, chaired by the head of government on Tuesday, June 9. The meeting focused on the state of water resources, dam reserves, and the plan to secure drinking water supply for the summer season.
Program Details
The emergency program includes 35 ongoing projects at a cost of 58 million dinars. It also provides for interventions on hydraulic systems in several governorates to reduce the risk of supply disruptions during peak consumption months.
Additional Measures
In parallel, the authorities have decided to accelerate the implementation of 187 water supply systems for nearly 248,000 inhabitants, with a total investment of 147 million dinars. The planned actions include:
- Improving 74 existing systems
- Reinstating 38 others
- Bringing into operation six new deep wells in the central and southern regions
- Replacing ten wells in several governorates
Access to Hard-to-Reach Areas
For difficult-to-access areas, particularly in mountainous regions, 20 additional water tankers will be mobilized to ensure continuity of service.
Long-Term Strategy
Beyond immediate measures, the government has presented the main orientations of its water strategy by 2050. This strategy includes:
- 43 programs
- 1,200 actions
- Over 74 billion dinars in investments in hydraulic infrastructure, network improvement, reuse of non-conventional water, and increased use of renewable energy
New Initiatives
The announced innovations include:
- Progressive installation of smart meters
- Deployment of digital systems for detecting leaks
- Creation of a digital platform for managing water resource authorizations
- Obligation for real estate developers to integrate rainwater collection systems into new constructions
Rural Water Management
The ministerial council also confirmed the continuation of transferring the management of certain rural water supply systems to the National Water Exploitation and Distribution Company (Sonede), with the aim of improving the sustainability of investments and service quality.
Agricultural Water Use
Regarding agriculture, the authorities emphasized the need to rationalize irrigation water use to preserve available resources and ensure the smooth running of the next agricultural campaign.
