An acute deterioration in the way the Central Water Authority (CWA) is running the water system is causing desperate outcry in many regions across the island. Many households mainly in the capital and in the district of Plaines-Wilhems, are living with dry taps for days and even weeks. The problem is not the consequence of a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, which is leading to a shortage of water, but rather the method used and quality of being well-organized and systematic in action which is causing this chaotic situation in the country.

In fact, it is the laxity, incompetence and pure mismanagement of the water authority, with the complicity of successive governments and their political nominees, which have, over the years, led to this dramatic situation in which we are today. It would be wrong to say that the island doesn’t get sufficient rain during the year. On the contrary, it rains so much during the rainy seasons that it’s impossible for the CWA to collect the millions of cubic meters of water which unfortunately, goes into the sea. 

With the continuous and dramatic change in the climatic conditions, many countries across the world are at the mercy of either prolonged droughts or flash floods. Our country is also vulnerable to these natural phenomenon which can have devastating effects on farming, agriculture and infrastructure, at any time. The government should be prepared to face any period of drought or sudden flash flood. It should find ways of collecting the rainwater which the country receives annually. 2018 is the driest year after 45 years according to the Director General of CWA. It will get worse and no one knows what may happen in the near future. 

«Dilo 24 /7»

On a private radio, the General Director of CWA has reassured the population that the promise of dilo 24 /7 will be realised in mid-2019, when the Bagatelle Dam will be operational. With the huge amount of water collected in the Bagatelle and Midland dams and the four reservoirs, the CWA will, of course, be able to supply water round the clock to the whole population for few months before and after the next general election. What will happen when the water levels in those dams and reservoirs start receding and the country does not receive enough rain during the rainy season? 

The government needs a water network company which is run by competent, efficient, qualified and skilful personnel in order to be able to (a) maintain a proper distribution of water across the island round the clock; (b) communicate and listen to the complaints of the public and (c) respond quickly to repairs of damaged water pipes.

Unfortunately, the management of the CWA is not up to these standards. Over the years, it has failed to provide its customers with good and proper services and this is simply because never have the right persons been at the head of the authority. Political nominees, like in other parastatal bodies, have always run the CWA. 

Each time there is a change of government the General Director, Directors and Chairman have been told to ‘‘lev paké ale’’ and they have been replaced by those dearest and nearest of the new government. Obviously, this sort of malpractice causes instability in the company and frustration among the employees. Even the minister of Energy and public utilities admitted that the CWA is inapt to run the water network and wants at all costs to privatize the company.

Reinvent the CWA

For our country to have a reliable and well-performing water supply network which can face any eventuality in the future, the government has to either privatize the company or reinvent the CWA. To make it efficient and capable of delivering quick and proper services, the government has to give a good shake up to the company and make a clean up at the top. Useless and incompetent political nominees should be replaced by a team of qualified, skilled and competent personnel. It should be regulated by an independent watchdog (a bulldog with teeth) which again should not be composed of political well-wishers of the government.

The CWA has been spending billions of rupees of taxpayers’ money on replacing old water pipes over many years and still the public has not seen any improvement with regards to the distribution of water, on the contrary the situation has worsened. In many regions, people are still living like in the old days when ‘‘drom délo ti pé rempli pou baigné ek lav linz’’.     

Prolonged drought can severely affect our economy and increase poverty in the country. The government should never have gone ahead with the project Metro Express and spent over 20 billion of rupees. Instead, it should have invested that sum of money in the construction of dams. Water is more essential than Metro Express and it should have been the priority of the prirorities of the government. 

The CWA has already issued warning and informed the public that drastic cuts are on the way across the island. When the country was blessed with torrential rains for several months and nearly every day from the beginning of the year unfortunately, the personnel of the CWA sat back and watched as over 50% of the water washed away into the sea. 

Water is precious and essential to the survival of human beings, animals and plants. With climate change we could find ourselves without rain for months. It would be catastrophic if the management of the CWA doesn’t change the way the company is being run and bring real improvements to the services it provides to the public.