By Hauwa Ali
The Tunisian government has banned swimming in the beaches of Rades, Ezzahra and Hammam-Lif located in the southern suburbs of the capital Tunis, describing them as “unfit for bathing” as the sea water is polluted by plastic waste and wastewater discharged by companies.
The decision followed an investigation by the Special Unit for the surveillance of sea water.
The banned sites are located in the governorates of Ben Arous, Tunis, Bizerte, Nabeul and Gabes.
In the governorate of Bizerte, the beaches concerned are Baali in Menzel Jmil and Sidi Al Hachani in Menzel Abderrahmane.
As for the governorate of Nabeul, the bathing ban concerns the beaches of Dar Chaâbane and Oued Al Hajjaar in Kelibia located near the technological pole of Soliman.
According to the Special Unit for the surveillance of sea water, which carried out the survey, 71% of the 539 beaches in Tunisia, from Tabarka to Ben Guerdane, have good water quality.
The banned beaches are frequented by people looking for leisure and sunbathing are increasingly polluted by a tide of plastic waste.
