Due to a severe drought that has affected the country, Tunisia on Friday implemented a drinking water allotment system and barred its use on farms until September 30.
Senior agriculture ministry official Hamadi Habib claims that due to a lack of precipitation from September 2022 to the middle of March 2023, Tunisia, which is going through its fourth straight year of extreme drought, saw a drop in its dam capacity of about 1 billion cubic meters, or 30% of the maximum.
The use of drinkable water to wash vehicles, irrigate gardens, clear sidewalks, and maintain public spaces has also been outlawed by the agriculture ministry. The Water Law stipulates that those who violate it must pay a fee and spend between six days and six months in jail.
According to locals, officials in Tunisia have been turning off drinking water at night in some parts of the capital and other towns for the past two weeks in an effort to reduce usage, a move that has caused intense resentment. The administration chose not to respond to the assertion.
The new decision poses a risk of escalating societal unrest in a nation where residents struggle with subpar public services, high prices, and a faltering economy.