One liter per person per day will be distributed to the 310,000 inhabitants of the French archipelago in the Indian Ocean, facing its worst episode of drought in a quarter of a century.
Published
Update
Reading time :
1 minute
:quality(50)/2023/11/02/000-33vz42h-6543917c16714457609272.jpg)
The distribution of bottled water will be extended from November 20 to the entire population of the Mayotte archipelago, facing a water crisis following its worst episode of drought in a quarter of a century, announced Thursday 2 November the Minister of Overseas, Philippe Vigier.
>> REPORT. “I spend my life looking for packs of water”: in Mayotte, the battle for bottles overwhelms the inhabitants of the island in the grip of a historic drought
“All Mahoraises and Mahorais will have the possibility of having bottles of water” mineral at a rate of one liter per person per day, assured the minister during a trip to Mayotte, at the port of Longoni where the trucks responsible for distribution are filled. This represents approximately 330,000 liters of water distributed every day, according to the minister.
The population lives to the rhythm of water restrictions
France’s poorest department is facing its worst drought since 1997, while its water supply depends largely on rainwater.
Due to a lack of sufficient infrastructure and investment, the approximately 310,000 inhabitants of the French archipelago in the Indian Ocean have been living under severe water restrictions since September and the authorities have been forced to deliver bottled water to meet the needs of the population. Until then, two liters of water were distributed every day to the 50,000 people considered the most vulnerable.
The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, announced the extension of this measure “to a wider audience” on October 5. Nursery and primary schools not connected to the “water path”which continuously supplies health centers and the majority of educational establishments, will be the first to be served by the extension of distribution.