Tunisia: To recycle wastewater and strengthen climate resilience, the AfDB releases €82 million
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has greenlit a €81.9 million loan for Tunisia to execute the Project to Improve the Quality of Treated Wastewater for Greater Resilience to Climate Change (PAQEE-RCC).
Spanning 2024-2028, the initiative aims to enhance treated wastewater treatment and align with prevailing standards for its reuse.
It will bolster purification and energy efficiency by revamping electromechanical and electrical equipment and integrating photovoltaic solar energy across 19 treatment plants in 11 governorates.
The project targets an improved water balance, heightened climate resilience, and enhanced living conditions for over 670,000 people.
Malinne Blomberg, Deputy Managing Director of the African Development Bank for North Africa, emphasized the project’s significance in the water-energy-agriculture nexus, leveraging treated wastewater for agriculture and curbing energy costs through solar power.
Belgacem Ben Sassi, Regional Water and Sanitation Coordinator at the African Development Bank, highlighted the project’s role in food security, citing increased production of olives, dates, fruits, and fodder for livestock.
Over 3,000 hectares of farmland near the treatment plants will be irrigated with treated water, fostering agricultural growth.
The initiative is set to generate around 200 temporary direct jobs (with 20% for women), 50 permanent direct jobs (30% for women), and 1,000 indirect jobs (35% for women).
This financing marks the African Development Bank’s third venture in urban sanitation sub-sector of Tunisia for the National Sanitation Office (ONAS), bringing total commitments in the drinking water and sanitation sector to over €400 million since 2011.
These operations have significantly improved access to drinking water and sanitation services, particularly in underserved regions, while promoting the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture.
Read again/ Tunisia: Financial closing Achieved for a 120 MW Solar Power Plant
Pedro OKALAMAR
