Tunisia faces water and power crises amid extreme heat

Tunisia is facing a severe humanitarian and infrastructure crisis driven by extreme heatwaves and water scarcity. In July 2026, the country recorded its second-hottest July since 1950, with temperatures in cities like Kairouan approaching 50°C. This heat has caused significant disruptions to essential services, including unannounced water outages and rotating electricity blackouts managed by the state utility STEG to preserve grid stability.

The crisis has extended to the commercial sector, where a shortage of bottled water has left citizens struggling to find supplies. This scarcity is compounded by economic factors, including new banking regulations that have made it harder for distributors to finance large stocks.

Political tensions have escalated as President Kaïs Saïed suggested that some service disruptions might be ‘organized acts of sabotage’ intended to create instability. Conversely, the UGTT union has criticized the government, accusing it of using conspiracy rhetoric to deflect from economic mismanagement. While meteorologists predict a gradual decrease in temperatures, the summer has highlighted deep vulnerabilities in the nation’s water and energy security.