Pravind Jugnauth Slams Government Over Mauritius Water Crisis

Former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has sharply criticised the current Mauritian government over its handling of the country's worsening water crisis, accusing it of "inaction and incompetence" in the face of a problem that is affecting hundreds of thousands of residents across the island. Jugnauth, who led Mauritius as Prime Minister until the Labour-led alliance won the November 2024 general election, made the remarks as public frustration over water shortages continues to mount. Many households across Mauritius are currently receiving water on a rationed schedule — sometimes only a few hours per day — as reservoir levels remain critically low. **The water crisis in context** Mauritius relies heavily on surface water stored in reservoirs, which are replenished by seasonal rainfall. The island's main reservoirs, including La Nicolière and Mare-aux-Vacoas, have seen levels drop sharply due to below-average rainfall in recent months. As of the latest available figures, combined reservoir capacity has hovered around 35–36% — well below the level needed to maintain normal supply. The Central Water Authority (CWA), the state body responsible for water distribution, has been scrambling to respond. Proposed solutions have ranged from drilling new boreholes and drawing on river sources to accelerating infrastructure repairs on ageing pipes that lose significant volumes of treated water through leaks. Despite these measures, many residents — particularly in areas such as Phoenix, Castel, and parts of the south and west of the island — report going days without running water, forcing them to purchase water tanks or rely on private deliveries at their own expense. **Jugnauth's political attack** By publicly denouncing the government's response, Jugnauth — now leader of the opposition Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) — is seeking to hold Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam's administration accountable for a crisis that has become one of the most visible and painful issues in everyday Mauritian life. The opposition has argued that the government has failed to act with sufficient urgency and that long-standing infrastructure deficiencies, which critics say were allowed to deteriorate over many years, are now coming to a head. The government, for its part, has pointed to ongoing projects and emergency measures as evidence that it is taking the situation seriously, while acknowledging that lasting solutions will take time to implement. **What this means for residents** For ordinary Mauritians, the crisis is not an abstract political debate — it is a daily inconvenience that affects cooking, hygiene, and household budgets. Families are spending money on water storage equipment that they should not need. Businesses, hotels, and schools are also adapting their operations around unreliable supply. With the next rainy season still roughly two months away, pressure on both the CWA and the government is likely to intensify before the situation naturally improves. Source: Le Défi Media