Mare-aux-Vacoas could fall to 20% by late November
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Defimedia
Mauritius’s Mare-aux-Vacoas reservoir could fall to 20% capacity by the end of November, from 34.2% on 19 October, if rainfall remains insufficient. Minister Patrick Assirvaden also announced 24 boreholes and treatment units to strengthen supply, according to discussions reported in the Mauritian Parliament.
The Mare-aux-Vacoas reservoir in Mauritius could fall to 20% capacity by the end of November if rainfall remains insufficient and withdrawals continue at the current rate. Energy and Public Utilities Minister Patrick Assirvaden told Parliament during discussions on water security.
On 19 October, the overall level of Mauritius’s reservoirs stood at 53.6%, compared with 82.6% a year earlier. Mare-aux-Vacoas was at 34.2% and La Nicolière at 39.4%. Patrick Assirvaden said an overall level of 20% remained compatible with reliable operation, but warned that abstraction becomes more complex at very low levels and requires additional treatment of drinking water.
The government is still assessing the Rivière-des-Anguilles dam project at the Central Procurement Board. Since January 2025, 24 boreholes have supplied an additional 43,400 cubic metres to the network, while six compact treatment units have added 14,000. A further 15 units ordered in 2026 are expected to provide an additional 33,000 cubic metres.
The Marshall Plan also provides for the replacement of 114 kilometres of asbestos pipes across 14 regions, water recovery after hydroelectric production, and the reuse of treated wastewater in industry and agriculture. This development follows water rationing in Mauritius, announced on 18 October after the fall in the level of Mare-aux-Vacoas.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
