Accessing drinking water ‘a battle’ in French overseas territory Mayotte

Residents in Mayotte have had to cope with increasingly drastic water cuts for several months now to cope with the drought. © Loïc Venance, AFP

In response to the most severe drought Mayotte has experienced in decades, the French government and local authorities in the overseas territory are taking drastic measures to ensure inhabitants get basic access to water. The unprecedented shortage is pushing locals into desperation and mounting tensions at a time when Mayotte is also seeing rampant crime.

Getting access to tap water in Mayotte, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean northwest of Madagascar, has become an uphill battle. Since September 4, residents have only had access to the archipelago’s water supply for two days out of three on average.