The three seawater desalination stations in Sfax, Sousse and Gabès (Zarat) will be operational soon, as part of the Tunisian government's orientation to treated water, in addition to the surplus transfer projects of drinking water from the north to the center, said Monday, Chief of Staff of the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Abderraouf Laajimi. The national strategy in this area also involves the mobilization of surface water, the examination of projects for the construction of new dams so as to improve water reserves, Laajimi added in a statement on the sidelines of the 5th Mediterranean Water Forum which started on Monday. This Forum is held by the National Water Exploitation and Distribution Company (SONEDE) in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment, the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME), under the aegis of the World Water Council and the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean. The event testifies to the strategic importance of its geographical positioning as well as its important role in developing strategies on a Mediterranean scale in the water sector. The forum, whose works will run until February 7, seeks to serve as a platform on sharing the know-how and experiences in the water field in the Mediterranean in a bid to provide innovative responses to the demand for water intended for food as well as the preservation of the balance of ecosystems. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse