Tunisia is building six new dams

Tunisia is building six new dams as it tries to reinforce water storage amid a sharply uneven distribution of resources across the country.

Mehrez Rajeb, the Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Ministry official responsible for dam operations, said the six facilities are at different stages of construction. Some are nearing completion, while others remain at the beginning of the works. They will join Tunisia’s 37 completed dams.

Rainfall recorded in 2025 and early 2026 has improved inflows into reservoirs, particularly in the north and northwest. Rajeb described the inflows as very large and above normal levels. Storage in those regions has reached 60%.

The situation remains much more difficult in central Tunisia, where reservoirs hold no more than 9% of their total storage capacity. The contrast highlights the country’s uneven access to available water resources.

Rajeb said water management should not focus only on immediate needs. He called for planning over a two- to three-year horizon to anticipate demand and make the best use of available supplies. The new dams form part of efforts to expand storage capacity and strengthen Tunisia’s water security.

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