The Maldivian government has signed an agreement with a Japanese engineering firm to automate Malé’s stormwater drainage system, in a move aimed at reducing persistent flooding.
The initiative is part of the Japanese government’s Economic and Social Development Programme and constitutes Package 2 of the broader Disaster Resilience Enhancement in Malé Island project.
The project will introduce a comprehensive technological upgrade to the capital’s water management system. Sixteen pump stations across Malé will be fully automated using specialised equipment, with oversight centralised through a newly established monitoring station capable of managing the entire pump network. A jetting vehicle will also be provided to facilitate maintenance of the drainage infrastructure. According to the Ministry, the project will be completed within 487 days at a cost of USD 1.5 million.
Officials stated that the automation will enable continuous, round-the-clock monitoring of drainage operations, significantly enhancing the city’s capacity to respond to heavy rainfall and mitigate street-level flooding.
The project builds on earlier measures implemented under the same resilience initiative. Package 1 included an agreement with Toyo Construction Co. Ltd. to repair and reinforce Malé’s protective boulder breakwaters to guard against coastal erosion and storm surges.
Authorities described the latest upgrade as a critical step toward strengthening Malé’s long-term climate resilience and urban infrastructure reliability.