Government accelerates measures amid decline in water production

Water production at the La Marie Water Treatment Plant has dropped significantly, from around 110,000 cubic metres per day to 56,000 cubic metres per day. Against this backdrop, the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Patrick Gervais Assirvaden, led a site visit at La Marie this morning to assess the situation and take stock of measures being implemented to safeguard the water supply to the population.

He was accompanied by the General Manager of the Central Water Authority (CWA), Mr Shyam Thanoo, CWA technicians, officers of the Water Resources Commission and officials of the Ministry.

In a statement following the visit, Minister Assirvaden indicated that treated water from the plant is distributed to the Upper and Lower Plaines Wilhems. The situation, he pointed out, is primarily attributable to the sharp decline in the water level at Mare-aux-Vacoas, where the available volume currently stands at around 36.5%, compared to 88% during the corresponding period last year.

The situation calls for restrictions, as well as the careful and responsible management of available water resources, he emphasised.

Government, the Minister highlighted, is accelerating measures to address the reduction in water production. These include connecting additional boreholes to the distribution network and deploying Containerised Pressure Filtration (CPF) units capable of drawing water from rivers, treating it and feeding it directly into the network at La Marie.

The interventions are expected to provide around 60,000 cubic metres of additional water, helping to offset the current shortfall in supply to the Plaines Wilhems region.

The Minister recalled that 15 CPF units were ordered five months ago, of which seven have already arrived. Once deployed, the units are expected to provide around 33,000 cubic metres of water.

The CWA will issue a communiqué informing the public of the days and times when water will be supplied in different areas, allowing households to make the necessary arrangements and store water in advance, he indicated.

In addition, Minister Assirvaden encouraged households to acquire water storage tanks to ensure water availability on days when supply is interrupted. He indicated that Government provides grants for the purchase of water tanks and pumps, and that discussions are underway to streamline the procedures and facilitate the acquisition process.

In parallel, the CWA will increase the deployment of water tankers with greater capacity to assist areas experiencing difficulties with water supply, he said.

The Minister emphasised that Mauritius relies heavily on rainfall to replenish its water resources, highlighting the need to develop alternative and sustainable sources of supply. The Ministry is exploring such alternatives and seeking international expertise and know-how to support the implementation of solutions, including water desalination, he added.

Government and the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to implement measures to safeguard water supply while ensuring the responsible and sustainable management of the country’s available water resources, he stated.

08 October 2026

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Topics: Water Resources