Tunis: On Wednesday, September 2, Hedi Baccour, the president of the Trade Association of Supermarket Chains, told Tunisian media outlet Mosaïque FM that 2.3 million bottles of mineral water were now being distributed daily in the big supermarkets in Tunis and its suburbs. This was a relief for residents of the capital, after a summer when showering, drinking, or even turning on the light became a daily challenge for millions of Tunisians across the country. With temperatures soaring to near 50°C, the country experienced frequent water and power cuts, some lasting more than ten hours. According to France24.com, in August, to relieve pressure on its electricity grid, the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Society (STEG) began temporary power cuts in certain areas. The increased stress on the system comes from both the need to run air conditioners as well as the heightened numbers of tourists in the summer months. Another factor is the need for water: Tunisia's National Company for Water Exploitation and Distributio n (SONEDE) uses electric pumps in their water systems. Several dozen people wait in front of the Carrefour supermarket in La Marsa, a Tunis suburb, in the hopes of getting some bottled water amidst shortages. Long lines have been forming in front of shops and at delivery points, sometimes late at night as people try to get a few bottles of water, which has been rationed. No region has been spared the shortages. In Sfax, in Tunis, and in tourist-packed coastal cities alike, people are waiting in line for water, paying inflated prices, and dealing with raging black markets. All of this is contributing to a growing anger at the government and what is perceived as either its inability or lack of desire to come up with solutions. In light of the shortages, Tunisians are having to build their schedules around water deliveries. Yassine (not their real name) lives in Jemmal, about 20 kilometers south of Monastir. "During the day, it's really hard to get potable water in any shop or supermarket. The large stores hi de their stock and then distribute it once a day, often either right before sunset or very late at night. People know when the water will be delivered, so they wait for the trucks. It's absolute chaos when the water gets delivered: people fight for a few bottles, and some people end up without any. Some shopkeepers hide their water and then sell it at double the price. People who don't have the means to buy a full six-pack of water, which costs more than six dinars, drink water from wells, which is often poor quality." Ali (not his real name), who was vacationing in the small coastal city of Chebba when the power cuts really got bad, said that he has also seen rapidly rising prices. "There is basically a shortage of bottled water. If you go to the beach in Chebba in the evening, you'll see people selling water for much higher than the state-mandated price. In Sfax, you won't find water in every shop and, if you do find it, the number of bottles is limited per person. This water often comes from the black mar ket. There are always people who take advantage of moments of crisis to stock products that are in demand and sell them for more money." Tunisians have also been struggling with frequent power cuts. Ali says that both people in Sfax, where he comes from, and Chebba, where he is vacationing, are constantly waiting for the next power cut. "We don't have any electricity at my parents' house in Sfax right now. The last week in August was the worst, with the heatwave, with record temperatures and a lot of humidity. People are essentially trapped at home. I heard about people who had such long power outages during the day that they couldn't cool down their rooms and so they'd go out to their cars, just to have a bit of air conditioning. It isn't great for the environment, but everyone is just trying to figure out how to get by." The power cuts are also having an impact on the economy. It seems to have been a catastrophe for poultry farmers, especially in the Sfax region, where 60% of the country's poultry product ion is based. Wadie Abdelmalek runs a farm with 30,000 chickens and shared the devastating effects of the crisis. "Everything in the building runs on electricity: the water motors, food distribution, and the pad cooling that keeps the building cool. Thankfully, I have generators in the building- if not, I would have lost everything. I have still lost around 500 chickens, which means nearly 5,000 dinars." Rising anger against the government has led to protests, with many blaming the authorities for the worsening crisis. Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, in an official statement, attributed the issues to deliberate sabotage, but unions and state-owned companies argue that ageing infrastructure and delayed investments are to blame. Yassine believes the responsibility lies with the current government, stating, "Tunisia has had a failing system for more than 15 years, and each president fails to solve these problems." Ali fears that if the situation continues, the country might face protests similar to those in 2011 , driven by widespread anger and economic hardships.