WATER SHORTAGE ENDS, FINALLY
Intense and out of season rains in recent week have started to fill up the main water reservoirs cross the main island of Mahe, allowing the Public Utilities Corporation to end the strict rationing regime it had to introduce at the height of the drought. As reported here at the time, Abu Dhabi came to the aid of the Seychelles by donating and installing additional desalination plant capacity and until the rains started to replenish the reserves, these plants were running at full capacity to provide water to households and tourist resorts across the island.
A regular source on the island described the drought and subsequent water rationing as one of the worst I remember, testimony how the Seychelles depend on rainfall for their water consumption and how changing weather patterns, in the light of global climate change, impact on the country.
Mahes main dam is reportedly over half full already and slowly filling up more inspite of the full resumption of supplies to consumers and with the onset of the scheduled rainy season over the next fortnight the trend is thought to continue, having enough reserves for the next dry season period in 2012.
Hotels and Resorts had been supplied with preference during the drought but it was equally important to provide the people living on the main island with water to avoid resentment or negative attitudes towards the crucially important tourism sector.
