Government takes additional steps to mitigate water supply constraints

A series of measures are being implemented to increase the volume of water available for distribution and mitigate the impact of declining reservoir levels, announced the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Patrick Assirvaden, yesterday during a press conference in Port Louis.

Prior to that the Minister had a meeting with representatives of the Mauritius Meteorological Services, the Central Water Authority (CWA), the Water Resources Commission, the Irrigation Authority and the Wastewater Management Authority, amongst other stakeholders, to assess the local water situation and determine the way forward.

Minister Assirvaden highlighted that around 10 boreholes will be connected to the water distribution network, particularly in affected regions of the island. These are expected to provide some 31,000 cubic metres of additional water by the end of October this year and help compensate for the reduction in water currently available for treatment and distribution.

He outlined that the authorities are also deploying Containerised Pressure Filtration (CPF) units capable of drawing water from rivers, treating it and feeding it into the distribution network. According to him, 15 CPF units were ordered some five months ago, of which seven have already arrived. Once deployed, the units are expected to provide an additional capacity of around 33,000 cubic metres of water.

The CWA will also reinforce the deployment of water tankers to assist areas experiencing supply difficulties, particularly where low pressure prevents water from reaching household tanks. Around 35 tankers will be mobilised daily, including higher-capacity vehicles.

Providing an overview of the current situation, Minister Assirvaden indicated that Mare-aux-Vacoas Reservoir stood at 35.9% of its capacity as at 06 October 2026, compared to 88.6% on the corresponding date last year. This, he said, represents around 13 million cubic metres less water in the reservoir.

He further pointed out that the volume of water available from Mare-aux-Vacoas for treatment and distribution has declined significantly, thereby requiring restrictions and careful management of available resources. According to meteorological indications presented during the meeting, an improvement in rainfall is not expected before the second half of December.

Minister Assirvaden moreover stated that a monitoring committee will meet daily to review the situation across all six water supply zones and enable resources to be deployed according to requirements.

On that note, he urged the population to use water judiciously and avoid wastage, while encouraging households to store water when supply is available. He also reassured that Government and relevant authorities will continue to monitor the situation and implement measures to improve supply while managing available water resources responsibly.

07 October 2026

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Topics: Water Resources