Mauritius Faces a Water Crisis Amidst Persistent Drought

The water situation in Mauritius was already dire in 2022, and experts warn that it may worsen this summer due to ongoing drought conditions. Oceanographer Vassen Kauppaymuthoo has raised alarms about the long-term threat of persistent drought, driven by global climatic cycles.

He emphasized the need for improved water resource management to prevent environmental, economic, and societal crises in the coming years.

While climate change is often viewed through a local lens, recent oceanographic research has highlighted the impact of global climatic cycles.

Kauppaymuthoo explained that phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña in the Pacific, along with the Indian Ocean dipole, significantly affect precipitation patterns worldwide.

He noted, “In areas with colder water, there is less evaporation, which can lead to droughts.

This is also true for the Indian Ocean, where a warm region causes more rainfall, while a cooler area can increase drought risks.”

Currently, Mauritius is experiencing a La Niña phase, coinciding with a reversal of the Indian Ocean dipole, leading to flooding in countries like Australia and Indonesia, while heightening the risk of prolonged drought in our region.

“If this cycle continues, we could face a drought even more severe than those of 2022 and 2023,” he warned.

Kauppaymuthoo criticized Mauritius’s lack of preparedness for such challenges, stating, “We always react in an emergency mode, like ‘fire fighting.’

Whenever it rains, the problem is sidelined instead of implementing sustainable solutions.”

He highlighted the need for long-term planning in water management, noting that while some initiatives—such as replacing old distribution pipes—are in place, significant quantities of rainwater are lost at sea due to insufficient storage reservoirs.

“We must anticipate the effects of climate change, especially droughts that could last up to four years,” he insisted.

The expert also expressed concerns regarding real estate development, where permits continue to be issued even in areas facing water shortages.

He cited the western region as a troubling example, where some families have endured two weeks without tap water—an “unacceptable” situation in 2024.

Many have had to rely on water tankers for their supply.

For Kauppaymuthoo, managing water resources is paramount for Mauritius, encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

He warned that water scarcity could lead to significant social tensions and underscores the importance of considering major oceanic cycles, like those from the Indian Ocean dipole, in climate forecasts.

Proposed Solutions for Climate Change Challenges

Precipitation in Mauritius has decreased by 8% over the past few decades, even though the country still averages nearly two meters of rain annually.

Kauppaymuthoo cautioned that much of this water is wasted—whether it runs to the sea, seeps into groundwater, or evaporates.

He voiced concerns over the over-extraction of groundwater, which constitutes 70% of Mauritius’s drinking water supply.

“During drought periods, groundwater levels inevitably drop, creating geological instability,” he noted.

While it may be difficult to minimize evaporation from water reserves, Kauppaymuthoo advocates for capturing rainwater through the construction of dams and retention basins, and installing rainwater harvesting systems on homes.

He believed it is time to break the monopoly held by the Central Water Authority (CWA) and promote decentralized storage solutions with smaller reservoirs in various regions, helping to manage water better during shortages and reduce waste.

Kauppaymuthoo also mentioned seawater desalination as an emergency option, acknowledging its environmental impacts, such as salinity discharge.

However, mobile desalination units could prove valuable during crises, he suggested. Despite the country’s development, he lamented the insufficient construction of new reservoirs and ongoing leakage issues within the distribution network.

“We cannot rely solely on rain each year to combat droughts,” he warned.

To address the recurring water shortage during dry spells, Kauppaymuthoo recommended a comprehensive public awareness campaign to encourage responsible water use and minimize waste.

MMS’ Forecast for Below-Average Rainfall

August 2024 has emerged as one of the driest months in the past two decades, confirming unsettling trends.

Only 61 mm of rain was recorded, marking a substantial 56% below the average.

The first half of September yielded no significant improvement, characterized by an accumulating deficit in precipitation.

The western region experienced a completely dry spell, while the northern region saw only a few millimeters of rainfall, according to the Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS).

Although La Niña conditions are expected to settle by October, other climatic indicators offer little hope, with surface sea temperatures projected to remain above normal and pressure anomalies expected to remain close to average.

Despite statistical forecasts suggesting a return to normal precipitation patterns, forecasts for cumulative rainfall from September to November 2024 have been downgraded:

September is projected to see below-normal rain (around 60 mm), October similarly (around 55 mm), and November is also expected to be below normal (around 60 mm).

Source: Defi Media