Tunisians tell the story of their summer of shortages

On Wednesday, September 2, Hedi Baccour, the president of the Trade Association of Supermarket Chains, told Tunisian media outlet Mosaïque FM that 2.3 million bottles of mineral water were now being “distributed daily in the big supermarkets in Tunis and its suburbs”. This was a relief for residents of the capital, after a summer when showering, drinking or even turning on the light became a daily challenge for millions of Tunisians across the country. With temperatures soaring to near 50°C, the country experienced frequent water and power cuts, some lasting more than ten hours. In August, in order to relieve pressure on its electricity grid, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Society (STEG) began temporary power cuts in certain areas. The increased stress on the system comes from both the need to run air conditioners as well as the heightened numbers of tourists in the summer months. Another factor is the need for water: Tunisia's National Company for Water Exploitation and Distribution (SONEDE) uses electric pumps in their water systems. Several dozen people wait in front of the Carrefour supermarket in La Marsa, a Tunis suburb, in the hopes of getting some bottled water amidst sho...