Male’ Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) has stated the backup water storage system for the Male’ water reserve will be established in 2023. The government assigned a land plot for MWSC to establish the backup system in June.
Speaking to PSM News, Managing Director of MWSC Hassan Shah said the project was delayed due to changes to the plan. He said the initial design was drafted with recommendations from a foreign consultant but that it was not conducive to a sustainable long-term backup system. He added that a new project design has been drafted and a contractor will be hired to complete the foundation work.
A fire in MWSC in 2014 resulted in a week-long water crisis in Male’ City. The Water and Sewerage Act, which was ratified after the incident, dictates that every inhabited island have a water reserve for five days’ use. As such, MWSC plans to build two tanks with 13,000 tonnes of storage capacity in the capital city.
MWSC produces water on a daily basis based on storage capacity and demand for the growing population in Male’ City. The company added extra desalination systems in 2018 which produce 2,000 tonnes every day.