Mauritius Water Tank Scheme Delays Stretch to January 2027

Mauritius is facing a deepening water crisis as reservoir levels drop sharply heading into November, a period when the island typically relies on stored reserves ahead of the rainy season. The situation is made worse by serious disruptions inside the government-backed Water Tank Grant Scheme, a subsidy programme run by the Development Bank of Mauritius (DBM) that helps households purchase water storage tanks at reduced cost.

The scheme works by providing approved vouchers to eligible applicants, who can then redeem them with a list of DBM-registered suppliers. But the programme has been thrown into disarray after three of its main manufacturers, Resiglas, Nabridas and Duraco Ltd, temporarily suspended new orders. That has left the official supply network unable to meet demand, with applicants reporting refused vouchers and open-ended waiting times.

With the main manufacturers out of action, many residents have turned to other registered suppliers on the DBM list, only to find conditions there are no better. One resident has publicly complained about his experience with a company called Surfrider. He placed an order on 23 October 2026 and was told delivery would follow within ten days. Instead, his calls and messages went unanswered for weeks. Only after repeated follow-ups did Surfrider inform him that his tank would not arrive before January 2027, a delay of more than two months, with no confirmed date given.

The account highlights a pattern that appears to go beyond a single supplier. Across the registered network, households trying to act responsibly by securing water storage ahead of potential shortages are finding the official scheme unable to deliver in any reasonable timeframe.

The DBM Water Tank Grant Scheme was designed to encourage more Mauritians to invest in domestic water storage, reducing pressure on the national distribution network during dry spells. When it functions well, it lowers the upfront cost of tanks for families and spreads demand across a group of vetted suppliers. The current breakdown means neither goal is being achieved at precisely the moment demand is highest.

What this means: If you have applied for or are considering applying for a water tank subsidy through the DBM scheme, you should expect significant delays regardless of which registered supplier you approach. Anyone who has already placed an order and received a promised delivery date should follow up directly in writing with their supplier to establish a revised timeline. The DBM has not yet issued a public statement on when normal service will resume across its approved supplier network.

Source: ION News