ONAS IV

The project concerns the financing of investment in wastewater and treated water collection and transfer systems and the construction of wastewater treatment plants in various towns.

The development programme consists of the following essential schemes:

• upgrading of the primary and secondary networks in Greater Tunis;
• expansion and rehabilitation of the sanitation systems in the towns of Monastir, Mahdia, Gabès, Medenine, Tatouine and Gafsa;
• extension of the South Hammamet treatment plant;
• construction of three wastewater treatment plants in the towns of Enfidha/Hergla, Menzel Temime and Tazarka/Somâa/ Mâamoura.

This programme is aimed primarily at:

• improving the living conditions of the population concerned;
• reducing health risks;
• preventing pollution of surface, ground and marine water resources;
• developing Tunisia's wastewater treatment capacity in order to meet growing requirements in this field.

The investment programme will contribute to:

• reducing significantly the pollution caused by discharging wastewater into the natural environment;
• protecting the water table against hydric pollution;
• mitigating marine eutrophication risks;
• improving the landscape of the towns concerned;
• the reuse for farming purposes of treated wastewater, the quality of which complies with Tunisian Standards NT 106.002 and NT 106.003 on effluent discharge into the natural environment;
• protecting the quality of surface and ground water.

Some of the project components fall under Annex II to Directive 97/11/EC on EIAs. These will be subjected to an environmental impact assessment.

The various components of the project financed by the Bank will be put out to public tender in accordance with the EIB's Guide to Procurement.

The international invitations to tender will be published in the Official Journal of the EU.

Environment