ALGERIA: Severe water shortages in Tiaret, what response after the protests?
Residents of the Algerian town of Tiaret recently took to the streets to express their anger at the severe water shortages that have been going on for several months, impacting on people's health and activities.
The commissioning of a drinking water supply for the town of Tiaret from the Chott Chergui basin, which now supplies 10,000 m3 a day, and the allocation of more than 27 billion Algerian dinars (more than 187 million euros) by the government to implement urgent projects to benefit water-stressed areas across Algeria are just some of the urgent measures that have been taken. These are just some of the urgent measures taken following the “thirst riots” that recently broke out in Tiaret.
On 16 and 17 June 2024, roads were blocked by stones and barricades were erected by the inhabitants of Tiaret, who were demanding that the city’s water situation, which had been chaotic for several months, be restored. This was the umpteenth outburst from the population, the protests having begun at the beginning of June 2024.
Although tensions have calmed somewhat since the last riots, the water situation in Tiaret remains worrying. With its semi-arid climate and extreme heat, the reservoirs in the three dams supplying the town are now down to 20% of their capacity due to drought. At the same time, the region’s water tables have not been able to recharge for years due to the scarcity of rainfall.
Tensions in the middle of the presidential campaign
“With the completion of the project to supply the city of Tiaret with drinking water from the Chott Chergui basin, the total quantity of water available in Tiaret will be increased to 34,000 m3, pending the supply of the wilaya capital and 10 other councils from the Djermaya basin, in the council of Zemala Emir Abdelkader de Prince, in the delegated wilaya of Ksar Chellala, which will also provide 34,000 m3 of water per day, thus guaranteeing daily water to the inhabitants of the councils concerned”, declared Taha Derbal, the Algerian Minister of Hydraulics, on 14 June.
These measures have been taken in compliance with the directives of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who is particularly keen to see them implemented. A resumption of tensions could impinge on the campaign for the early presidential election on 7 September 2024.
Cover photo: By AFRIK 21
