The Director General of Dams and Large Hydraulic Works, Faïez Msallem, stated on Thursday that the Mellègue dam is safe and that its situation remains stable after the occurrence of a sudden technical fault at one of its gates, which led to a significant outflow of water.
Faïez Msallem explained that the incident occurred after the irrigation perimeters had been supplied from the Nebeur-Mellègue Dam, amounting to approximately 100,000 cubic meters, around 9:00 a.m. An unusual technical failure then occurred at the closure system of one of the three main gates.
According to the official, a team accompanied by a group of experts immediately went to the site. An urgent intervention plan was put in place to ensure the safety of the hydraulic structure and that of the citizens in the region.
He also assured that the initial tests confirmed that the dam is in good structural condition and poses no danger.
Faïez Msallem also denied any link between this incident and a potential lack of maintenance. He stressed that no amount of water is wasted, explaining that the waters discharged from the Mellègue dam exit the dam and then pass through the Mellègue Wadi and subsequently the Medjerda Wadi, to be fully recovered at the Sidi Salem Dam.
The director general indicated that the fault should be brought under control and the outflow halted around 5:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries confirmed that specialized technical services intervened immediately to assess the situation at the Mellègue dam.
The ministry stressed that the necessary measures have been taken to address this technical fault, adding that the teams under the General Directorate of Dams and Large Hydraulic Works are on site and are ensuring continuous monitoring of the situation, in coordination with regional and local authorities as well as with the various concerned structures.
These interventions aim to guarantee the safety of the hydraulic installation, while protecting citizens and property.
