Black Stagnant Waters, Suffocating Odors, Deserted Beaches, and Abandoned Fishing Boats...
The Gulf of Monastir, once a jewel of the Tunisian coast and a hub of biodiversity, is now unrecognizable. Transformed into a disaster zone, it is paying the price of decades of uncontrolled industrial and domestic pollution.
For over twenty years, this 1,700-hectare area, bordering seven cities (Monastir, Khniss, Ksibet el-Médiouni, Lamta, Sayada, Teboulba, and Bekalta), has been deteriorating inexorably, victim of a development model described as "predatory" by civil society.
"The Gulf of Monastir is a reflection of our collective failure," lamented Monir Hsine, president of the local Economic and Social Forum (FES). "The discharge of textile industries and untreated wastewater has caused an unprecedented ecological disaster."
Outdated Infrastructure Overwhelmed by Over 400%
According to the ONAS (National Sanitation Office), the Lamta-Sayada-Bouhjar wastewater treatment plant, built in 1993 to treat 1,660 m³/day, is now treating over 6,000 m³. Designed to serve three municipalities, it now serves six.
"We are operating at over 400% of our capacity. Even industrial discharges can no longer be treated properly," warned Rachida Cherada, head of industrial discharge analysis at ONAS.
As a result, domestic and industrial effluents are pouring directly into the sea, creating a visible black slick from the heights of Monastir.
The consequences are dramatic for public health and the local economy. Fishermen are abandoning their activities, beaches are deserted, and residents are testifying to daily nuisances: unbearable odors, allergies, and respiratory diseases.
"Our children are getting sick. We can no longer open our windows," confessed a resident of Lamta.
Local studies confirm a alarming increase in dermatological and pulmonary diseases, particularly among coastal residents and sea professionals.
Shared Responsibilities, Blocked Solutions
Mustapha Ben Tekia, president of the Regional Union of Industry and Commerce, acknowledged that the lack of control and regulation has exacerbated the situation: "Hundreds of workshops and washing stations operate without authorization. Some pollute more than twenty industrial enterprises combined."
Several sanitation projects have been proposed, including a new modular station in Lamta (1,000 m³/day) and two industrial stations in Moknine and the Monastir technology hub. However, due to lack of funding, everything is at a standstill.
The initial study, launched in 2002, estimated the cost at 35 million dinars. Today, it exceeds 125 million, according to ONAS. The total cost of priority projects exceeds 190 million dinars.
The President of the Republic, on a surprise visit on July 10, 2025, described the situation as an "environmental crime," calling for immediate action. He recalled that the right to a healthy environment is enshrined in the Constitution.
Since then, a regional council has been convened. The Ministry of Environment assures that technical files are ready, funding is being mobilized, and work will begin as soon as possible.
But on the ground, the urgency is already there. Every passing day digs a little deeper into the ecological grave of the Gulf of Monastir, once a nourishing sea, now a waste basin.
