State to Regulate Underground Water Sources with New Bill

A meeting took place this morning between Business Mauritius, the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Mauritius (AHRIM), the Chamber of Agriculture, and Minister Joe Lesjongard to address concerns over the Water Resources Bill.

The bill is aiming to bring all underground water sources under state control, a move that has raised concerns among several industrialists, hoteliers, and sugar industry stakeholders.

While it is unclear at this stage whether any amendments will be made to the bill following the meeting, the Ministry has assured that it has listened to the various stakeholders’ concerns.

According to Harry Booluck, former director of the Central Water Authority, Mauritius has approximately 1,000 boreholes.

With the new law, individuals will no longer have “water rights” over underground aquifers, even if they are located on their own land.

Source: Defi Media