North Water Crisis: La Nicolière Plunges to Just 45% Capacity

Northern Mauritius is facing an escalating water crisis as the La Nicolière reservoir’s capacity has dropped to just 45%, prompting the immediate imposition of irrigation restrictions from November 3rd.

The vital reservoir, which supplies domestic, agricultural, and tourist needs, is down from 55% at this time last year.

The significant fall in water levels is a direct result of a marked rainfall deficit since September and increasing seasonal demand as summer approaches.

Immediate Water Restrictions Imposed

To manage the dwindling supply, the Irrigation Authority is implementing temporary restrictions affecting key sectors in the North.

• Crop Irrigation Limited: Watering of food crops will be restricted to just two days a week—Mondays and Thursdays—in areas including Triolet, Fond-du-Sac, The Vale, Plaine-des-Papayes, Solitude, Cottage, Forbach, and L’Espérance-Trébuchet.
• Sugarcane Suspension: Irrigation of sugarcane fields has been suspended until further notice. Planters have also been advised to postpone replanting.

The reservoir currently sees approximately 200,000 cubic metres of water abstracted daily to meet the varied demands of the region.

Compounding the issue, the traditionally dry month of October offered no relief, and rising temperatures are further straining resources.

Central Plateau Reserves Offer Relief

While the North is under severe pressure, other regions report more reassuring reservoir levels.

According to the Water Resources Commission (WRC), the central plateau’s main reservoir, Mare aux-Vacoas, is at 81% capacity, a significant improvement from 62% a year ago.

Other reservoirs also show healthy levels:

• Piton-du-Milieu: 76%
• La Ferme: 63%
• Mare-Longue: 89%

Call for Rational Water Management

Despite these more optimistic figures, the overall situation remains fragile. The Ministry of Public Services has stressed that rational water management will be crucial in the short term, cautioning that reserves could decrease again without significant rainfall in the coming months.

The WRC is maintaining a daily monitoring schedule of both water levels and precipitation across the island.

Source: l’Express