This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 7/14/2019

Overview

Water and Wastewater
Due to its arid and semi-arid climate, mismanaged water resources, and growing population, Tunisia faces increasingly severe water shortages, particularly in the summer.  The quality of water supplied by the national water utility Société Nationale d’Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux (SONEDE) varies throughout the country and does not meet potability standards in some regions.  SONEDE operates 16 water treatment plants and 11 desalination plants throughout the country, serving 84.2% of the population, but only 48% in rural areas.  In agricultural regions, agricultural development cooperatives utilize both shallow and deep wells and tap into SONEDE pumping stations and distribution networks.  Due to rainfall scarcity, aquifer levels are declining at an alarming rate.

Tunisia’s Water Code governs the allocation of water resources, with priority to the supply of potable water for urban consumers.  Less attention is given to the requirements of the country’s industrial, tourism, and agricultural sectors.  The GOT is currently working on updating the water code and enacting new implementing decrees.  
Tunisia’s major urban areas, including Tunis, Sfax, Gabes, and Djerba, are confronting water supply constraints.  To promote water conservation and sustainability, the GOT recognizes the need to exploit non-conventional water resources, such as the reuse of reclaimed urban and industrial wastewater, desalination, artificial recharge, and rainwater harvesting.

Tunisia ranked fifth in the world in 2018 in per capita bottled water consumption, with an annual average of 192 liters per person, up from 7.5 liters per person in 1989. 

Wastewater treatment is the responsibility of the Tunisia National Sanitation Utility.  Tunisia has 119 wastewater treatment plants, collecting and treating around 260 million cubic meters of wastewater a year.   Treated wastewater is distributed to farmland, golf courses, and green spaces, and is also used for groundwater recharge.  Sludge is treated, thickened, and de-watered before disposal in landfills.

Solid Waste Management
Tunisia has comprehensive environmental laws to encourage the sustainable management and recycling of municipal and industrial waste, but solid waste management is an increasing challenge for government authorities.  Increased investment is needed to ensure proper collection, treatment, recycling, of solid waste.  Lack of citizen awareness and dysfunction of municipal and rural councils create additional challenges for maintaining existing waste management practices.  

According to the GOT, 4% of municipal solid waste is recycled, while 70% is dumped in controlled landfills, 21% is dumped in non-controlled landfills, and 5% is composted.  These estimates may mask other problems, however, as many municipal landfills do not meet sanitary standards, and waste is often dumped into non-sanitary areas.  The volume of domestic solid waste produced in the country is rising annually at 2.5%.  A resident in an urban area produces 0.82 kg of solid municipal waste per day; rural inhabitants produce only 0.15 kg.  The country has ten operational landfills for municipal solid waste, five under construction, and five in the planning stages.  Tunisia also has one non-operational landfill for industrial waste and three under construction.  Tax incentives are offered to companies to encourage waste reduction or outsourced recycling.

Recycling
Approximately 400 private companies are authorized by the Ministry of Local Affairs and Environment to collect, transport, and recycle plastics.  The Ministry also authorized five private collectors and recyclers of used tires.   Paper and cardboard recycling is still in its infancy, but there is a small informal sector for recycling food packaging.

Opportunities

The market for environmental protection and pollution control equipment and technology has significant potential, especially in the aftermath of the June 2017 establishment of the “green police” whose mandate is to enforce environmental regulations.  Anticipated tenders for landfill construction and management projects, coastal pollution cleanup projects, and wastewater treatment all offer good opportunities for U.S. companies.  U.S. exporters of these products and services face competition from European companies, which often provide attractive, government-backed financing.

Web Resources

National Agency of Environment Protection (ANPE)
National Water Distribution Agency (SONEDE) 
National Sanitation Agency (ONAS) 
Agency for Protection and Development of the Coastline (APAL)
International Centre for Environmental Technologies of Tunis (CITET) 
National Waste Management Agency (ANGED) 
National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM) 
Ministry of Local Affairs and the Environment

 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.