Agricultural Water Management Proceedings of a Workshop in Tunisia (2007) / Chapter Skim
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The Water Resources and Water Management Regimes in Tunisia
The Water Resources and Water Management Regimes in Tunisia
Pages 81-87
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From page 81... ...
WATER RESOURCES Rainfall and surface water potential Surface water resources in Tunisia are characterized by problems of quantity and quality. These resources are limited because of the semi-arid to arid climate found in most of the country, with episodic droughts, and a natural deterioration of water quality because of the salty types of rocks found within the country.
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From page 82... ...
These inequalities in quantities and quality make water management more difficult and explain the need to transfer surface water from the north to the Sahel and the south in order to improve the drinking water supply and insure equity between regions. Groundwater potential The groundwater resource is estimated at 2000 Mcm, confined within 212 shallow aquifers containing 719 Mcm and 267 deep aquifers.
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From page 83... ...
For this reason, considerable efforts have been made through several reforms to set prices for water, to develop water saving programs and to encourage water saving technologies by establishing financial incentives and by penalizing waste, to actively involve users in water management through setting collective interest groups, and finally to value non conventional water by reusing the treated sewage water. In addition, the demand for water for the domestic, tourist and industrial needs continues to increase.
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From page 84... ...
The integrated management of the resources: the use of groundwater during periods of drought, the recharge of groundwater to face problems of overdraft and degradation, and the use of treated waste water and brackish water 3. Resource and environmental protection: quantitative conservation through reinforcement and improvement of water capture and storage, qualitative conservation of water resources and ecosystems through pollution reduction, monitoring, and cost evaluation With regard to demand management, some reduction targets were set as objectives for the year 2010: 30% for agriculture by improving of the systems of irrigation, replacing some of the hydraulic structures and modernization of the distribution network; 20% for industry by recycling, improving the production processes and the introduction of clean technologies; and 27% for drinking water by the use of modern equipment.
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From page 85... ...
ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES Tunisia will shortly be confronted with the problem of a water deficit between its consumptive uses and its water productivity. Conscious of this problem, managers and policy makers are giving particular attention to improvements in water supply and mobilization programs, to enhancements in water productivity with an integrated management perspective, to promotion of treated sewage water and its development, and to controlling the different economic sectors of water demand and protecting the available resources from losses and pollution.
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From page 86... ...
The Tunisian program is based on the construction of 1000 hill-dams, 200 mountain dams and the reforestation in the watershed behind the major reservoirs. • Technical research should play an important part in these pressing issues: finding the appropriate agriculture techniques to confront water scarcity and poor water quality; evaluating the real potential and vulnerability of aquifers and their possibility of recharge; finding alternative sources of water storage and supply; and defining the real potential and limits of reclaimed water.
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From page 87... ...
1998. Topic 9: strategy Development to promote the use of the treated sewage water in the agricultural and other sectors, Bechtel International Inc/Scet Tunisia.
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