Minister of Water Resources, Mustapha Kamel Mihoubi, stressed yesterday, Thursday, “the need to tighten supervision to combat illegal connections, encroachment on drinking water distribution networks, and resort to deterrence against violators.”
While inspecting the wastewater treatment plant in the municipality of Tebessa, as part of a working and inspection visit to that province, the minister explained that the encroachment on water distribution networks through illegal connections results in reducing quantities of potable water intended to supply the population, leading to a fluctuation in supplying this vital resource.
In this regard, the minister instructed those in charge of the water resources sector on “the necessary coordination with the local authorities and activating the role of water police to monitor networks, count cases of infringement and resort to deterrence and judicial authorities to put an end to these illegal practices that negatively affect the public service.”
Mihoubi listened to a presentation about his sector in the province of Tebessa, which counts about 795 thousand people, where dependence is mainly on ground water by 83 percent, while 6 municipalities located in the north of the province are supplied from water coming from Ain Dalia dam in the neighboring province of Souk Ahras, which started from yesterday, Thursday, to benefit from the water of the Ouldja Malik Dam in the municipality of Ouenza, through laying the service space for the water purification and pumping station at the same dam.
According to the explanations provided to the Minister, Tebessa Algerian Water Unit is conducting the process of supplying the population with drinking water in 15 municipalities, while the municipalities are responsible for the management process in 13 local communities, and the rate of supply ranges from every next day to once every 6 days.
The minister expressed his dissatisfaction with this situation, stressing the importance of taking all necessary measures to achieve an equal distribution rate and provide this vital material across all regions by intensifying exploration operations in areas that have groundwater resources, digging new wells, extending and expanding distribution networks and combating illegal connections and leaks.”
The Minister concluded his visit to this province by inspecting a project to connect 3 deep wells in Ain Chebro area (Tebessa) with electricity to support the provision of municipalities of Tebessa, Al-Aouinat, Morset and Bir Dheb Well with drinking water, which reached 75 percent of the work progress, granting a maximum time limit of 20 days to put them into service in preparation for summer season”.
