Algeria hit by water protests as climate crisis deepens

Algerians protested dire water shortages in the northwest this week as hot temperatures and little rainfall have increasingly hurt agriculture and quality of life in the area.

The demonstrations and unrest in the city of Tiaret, located southwest of the capital Algiers, came in response to water shortages in the area. Videos on social media showed protesters gathered outside of the local administrative building on Monday.

Other videos showed protesters burning tires and blocking roads in anger over the government’s response to the crisis. Activist Mohamed Zitout criticized the "false promises repeated by the tongue of the ruling gang."

Local rivers and the Bakhedda dam in the area have been dry since May, leading to the protests that began earlier in June. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had vowed to address the issue by the Eid al-Adha holiday that began on Sunday, according to Agence France-Presse.

Aquifers in Tiaret and the surrounding areas have not been able to recharge for years amid a lack of rain, according to the Associated Press.

An official from Cosider, the company responsible for water infrastructure in the region, told the Associated Press last week that the company hopes to finish new pipes in July that will bring water to Tiaret from other parts of the country. The official said the company is bringing in water via trucks in the meantime.

Tiaret Governor Ali Bouguerra announced a plan earlier this month to deliver water via tanker trucks. Some recent videos on social media showed water being pumped into the ground in Tiaret.

AccuWeather showed a high of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in Tiaret on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Much of North Africa and the Middle East is struggling with rising temperatures related to climate change. Around 20 people have died during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this week, with some of the deaths being confirmed as a result of heat stroke.

Egypt has been experiencing a brutal heat wave in the past week, with the temperature reaching (115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees C) in some areas, according to local reports.

Algeria experienced devastating wildfires last year, particularly in the Bejaia, Bouira and Jijel provinces east of Algiers. Tiaret was among the provinces affected by the 2021 fires in the country.

Drought is hurting Algeria's agriculture sector. In a February report, the European Commission noted "well-below-average crop biomass accumulation" in northwest and central Algeria, as well as delays to the planting of seeds due to drought. 

Algeria as a whole suffers from water scarcity, with less than 300 cubic meters of water per person per year as of 2019. That figure is below the World Bank's scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic meters, according the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.

Algeria is investing in desalination plants to address its water shortages. Earlier this month, the government approved plans to build such a plant in Iflissen, near the coast, according to the official Algeria Press Service.

Algerian Energy Company CEO Mohamed Boutabba told Reuters in May that the country hopes to produce 3.7 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day by the end of 2024. That figure would cover 42% of the population’s water needs, according to Boutabba.

Know more: Tebboune decided in March that early elections would take place in September. The incumbent is expected to run for reelection, according to the Associated Press. He won the 2019 election after the resignation of longtime ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika amid widespread protests. Like his predecessor, Tebboune has suppressed protests in the country.