That an island ? by definition, surrounded by water ? suffers from regular and severe droughts may seem a paradox. However, it has been the reality in Mauritius for years. Looking at the situation in most reservoirs while the country has just been sprayed by some rains is just alarming! All of them are below the average volume and the main ones are not even half full. In fact, the situation is so severe that the Central Water Authority (CWA) does not only think of more drastic water cuts but it also considers major projects such as the setting up of desalination units.

?The setting up of desalination plants is only an option for the moment,? confirmed the director general of the CWA, Harry Boolauck. The CWA still wants to wait for some time before resorting to such big projects, as it will require heavy investment. ?If the level of reservoirs continues to drop and all rivers appear to be completely dried out, then we will not have any other alternative.?

<B>Difference between real costs and rates </B>

The main reason why the CWA does not want to rush into setting up such mechanisms in Mauritius is because of the big difference between the real costs and the rates people pay for their water at the moment. ?The price for one cubic meter of desalinated water is Rs 20 while the CWA is selling one cubic meter of water at Rs 4.50,? explained the CWA director. As a matter of fact, such a project would not be viable in these circumstances. However, Harry Boolauck thinks it is ?too early to state how the CWA would find the money to pay for desalinated water?.

Investment costs, according to him, would depend on the type of plant Mauritius would choose. ?There are various types of plants that can desalinate from 50 to one million cubic metres of water in countries like Dubai, for instance. We do not know what Mauritius would need.?

Rodrigues has already taken the bull by the horns as far as desalination is concerned. The commissioner in charge of water management, Louis Ange Perrine, has already stated that he does not want his island to suffer from the same problems next year. This is why invitations to tender have been launched for desalination of sea or brackish water. There will be four plants by March this year.

Likewise, in Mauritius, some private companies invested in their own desalination equipment one year ago. Naïade Resorts was the first one to invest in such equipment two years ago at Les Pavillons Hotel. As the west of the country suffers from regular cuts, there was a need for this hotel in Le Morne to find an alternative water supply. Their latest hotel in Bel-Ombre has also been supplied with such equipment and the group now intends to make its six hotels self-sufficient in water.

Since last year, two Beachcomber hotels ? Le Paradis and Dinarobin in Le Morne ? have also invested in their daily water consumption. The equipment has cost them some Rs 85 million and can produce up to 800,000 litres of water, their average daily consumption. But they buy 500,000 litres from the CWA and produce the 300,000 left with their equipment. Mathieu Rivet, the group engineer, does not want to rely only on the plants in case of problems.

The CWA may not have other choices than to invest in such equipment in the future. With climate change affecting the whole planet, it would be hard to make any forecasts as to the future situation of local reservoirs?

WWF REPORT

<B>The environmental impact</B>

■ According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the desalination plants could have a negative impact on the environment because of the amount of energy required. The global warming leading to droughts throughout the planet encourages investments in desalination methods while these methods could be a threat to the environment itself. Moreover, these methods could also endanger marine species. For the WWF officials, ?there must be better and more profitable ways of getting water supply without endangering the environment?. There are about 10,000 desalination plants throughout the world ? the highest number being in the Gulf region. The WWF, however, recommends that only big factories should be allowed to work and in specific circumstances where there is real need. They should also be built in such a way that would minimise the impact on the environment.