Mauritius’s water supplies are running very low. As a small island, it is affected by tropical cyclones, rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and a warming ocean. Rainfall levels have decreased by 8% over the last 10 years.
The country’s reservoirs are currently only about 38.2% full, down from 92.6% in February 2024. The population has increased from 479,000 in the 1950s to over 1.26 million in 2022. The bigger demand for water has placed pressure on already strained resources.
Droughts in Mauritius are predicted to become more severe and frequent. This will trigger serious water shortages that will disrupt farming and affect the livelihoods and wellbeing of local communities. The current water shortages have already affected big water users – business, industry and agriculture – in the central plateau and coastal regions.
