In 2019, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth had inaugurated two 500 m3 desalination units at Pointe Coton. This avant-garde system produced 1,000 m3 per day and supplied the entire eastern part of Rodrigues. In the absence of good maintenance and qualified technicians, which was not provided by the former government, one of the two systems broke down after about a year of operation. Repairs were carried out without success. There had been the operation “Undress St. Peter dresses St. Paul”. Since then, the system had fallen into disrepair with rust beginning to occur as a result of salt water leaking throughout the building.
With the arrival of the new regional government and the drought that is in full swing at the end of October, the population is suffering. With the arrival of Rodrigues Water Utilities Corporation and the chief commissioner who took over the water business, steps have been taken and the system will be maintained as it should be. Johnson Roussety explained that some of this water will be used to supply the region of Montagne Goyave, Baladirou and Baie Malgache and water points will be installed next to the two desalination units so that tankers come to get water to distribute to places where there is little water. The chief commissioner also said that the desalination unit of Pointe venus will be operational in November. The equipment installed in Anse Goeland which faced water supply problems has been transferred to Pointe Venus and technicians are working hard on the project.
The director of the Rodrigues Public utilities Corporation Mr. Claude Wong So, said that a desalination system capacity of 3,000 m3 per day will be installed in Pointe Coton, because the area is suitable, and the dirty water of the region is ideal and the evacuation of the sludge is easily done.
The regional government is working hard to alleviate the water problem in this period and hotels will also be supplied. The rivers are cleaned, and hill reservoirs will be built. In short, the regional government is putting the package on water so that little by little this eternal problem that has lasted for years will be a thing of the past.
