If the Mare aux Vacoas reservoir doesn’t get a serious amount of rainfall over the next three months, there won’t be enough water in it to supply domestic users.
Yesterday, Mare aux Vacoas was at only 40% of capacity, a level which is considered “highly critical” by the Central Water Authority (CWA). The Acting Chairman of the CWA, Mr Megduth Chumroo, told NEWSNOW that an emergency plan has already been put into action.
He explained that the high-level committee responsible for strategy in periods of drought has chosen Mare Longue Reservoir, which has a capacity of 5 million cubic metres of water and is currently full, as an emergency backup for Mare aux Vacoas.
He revealed that work has already started to connect a main water pipe from Mare Longue to La Marie treatment plant; 20,000 cubic metres of water would be sent daily for treatment to provide water to the regions which are usually supplied from Mare aux Vacoas.
“The work would normally take eight months but we are asking the contractor to finish the installation in four months. The new water pipe would be ready by September or at latest by October this year.”
On a more optimistic note, Mr Chumroo told NEWSNOW that the water level at all other reservoirs around the island, as well as the boreholes, “are very comfortable”.
There were heavy downpours over most regions of the island yesterday, with Albion registering 48.4mm of rainfall, Port Louis 20.2mm, Plaisance 28.6mm, Nouvelle Decouverte 43.8mm, Quatres Bornes 46.4mm, Vacoas 33.5mm, Trou aux Cerfs 38.3mm, Grand Bassin 37.4mm and Mare aux Vacoas 42mm.
It will be cloudy all over the island tomorrow with scattered showers becoming moderate to heavy at times and possible thunderstorms.
By Nitesh Boodhoo