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Tunisia faces water and electricity crisis amid extreme heat
Tunisia is facing a severe infrastructure crisis driven by extreme heatwaves and resource scarcity. In July 2026, the country experienced its second hottest July since 1950, with temperatures approaching 50°C in regions like Kairouan and Béja.
The heat has triggered widespread disruptions to essential services. The public utility STEG has implemented rotating electricity cuts in the Greater Tunis region to maintain grid stability. Simultaneously, the Tunisian Observatory of Water reported 608 incidents in July, including 549 unannounced water supply disruptions.
The crisis has extended to the commercial sector, where a shortage of bottled water has emerged. This is attributed to a 30% to 40% surge in summer demand and production halts caused by power outages. Economic factors, specifically a 2025 law restricting the use of checks as short-term credit, have further complicated the ability of distributors to restock inventory.
Political tensions have escalated as the President of Tunisia characterized the service disruptions not as technical failures, but as organized acts of sabotage intended to destabilize the nation.
Entities
France · Institut national de la météorologie · Kais Saied · Mauritius · Normandy · Palais de Carthage · STEG · Tunisia · Tunisian Observatory of Water · UGTT · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Law No. 2024-41, applied since February 2, 2025, restricted the use of checks as a form of short-term credit. www.lecourrierdelatlas.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Tunisian President alleged that service disruptions were organized acts of sabotage intended to cause unrest. www.lapresse.tn
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Tunisian Observatory of Water recorded 608 reports in July 2026, including 549 unannounced water cuts or supply disruptions. afrikactus.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Summer demand for non-alcoholic beverages has increased by 30% to 40% due to heatwaves. www.lecourrierdelatlas.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Tunisia experienced its second hottest July since 1950. www.tourmag.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The public utility STEG implemented rotating electricity cuts in the Greater Tunis region to preserve network security. afrikactus.com · www.tourmag.com