Thirsty Island: Running Dry in the Grip of Drought
Racha Mousdikoudine's daily struggle for water in this drought-ridden island is a haunting reality Uncertainty looms as she opens her tap, unsure if water will flow after hours of waiting This unimaginable situation disrupts normal life in a way France has never experienced
Racha Mousdikoudine never knows what to expect when she turns on her kitchen faucet. "I might not receive any water at all," she shared with CNN. "Or maybe I'll have water for only 30 minutes. It's also possible that after hours of waiting, the water will finally start flowing."
Mousdikoudine and her two children have experienced a severe lack of running water in their home on Mayotte, a French territory located in the Indian Ocean near Mozambique and Madagascar. This is due to an ongoing water crisis caused by a combination of climate change and insufficient investment in the water system.
The island is currently facing its most severe drought since 1997. The two water reservoirs are experiencing a significant decrease, with one at 7% capacity and the other at 6%, nearing the point of depletion. As a consequence, there have been substantial water restrictions implemented. According to a schedule released by the Prefecture, residents are only granted access to water for approximately 18 hours, every few days. Numerous individuals report that the limited water available is frequently contaminated and unfit for consumption.
Residents have had to cope with school closures and a growing health crisis, all while water bottles become a rare - and expensive - commodity on supermarket shelves.
In a country like France this is unimaginable
Despite being located 5,000 miles away from mainland France, Mayotte holds the same legal status as the suburbs of Paris under French law. The island was colonized by France in 1841 and was officially acknowledged as a French department in 2011, giving it equivalent legal standing to the 96 departments on the mainland.
The crisis in Mayotte has prompted the French government to take action. In September, they supplied 600,000 liters of bottled water to support the island's most vulnerable inhabitants. In addition, soldiers and civil servants have been mobilized to assist in the distribution of water. Furthermore, the government has temporarily suspended water bills for all residents. Despite these efforts, many Mahorais, the local term for Mayotte residents, continue to feel neglected.
Douainda Attoumani, a 27-year-old, lives in constant fear of the unknown. Residing in a crowded household with her parents, sister, four brothers, and two cousins, she faces increasing challenges every day. Expressing her frustration, she reveals that the authorities seem oblivious to their daily struggles. "We suffer silently," she laments. Additionally, the absence of water poses a grave threat to their survival. She fears the possibility of dying from thirst in such dire circumstances.
Soldiers offload water packs from a ship on the French island of Mayotte, which arrived on September 20, 2023. The ship carried 600,000 liters of bottled water to be distributed among the most vulnerable individuals in the department.
Chafion Madi/AFP/Getty Images
Many, like Mousdikoudine, are angry.
"I am a French woman who lacks autonomy due to the absence of water," she expressed. "I am faced with the dilemma of either searching for water for my family or going to work. In a country like France, having to make such choices is inconceivable."
The basic tasks of washing and providing water for her 7 and 9-year-old daughters became exceedingly difficult. Consequently, she and her husband made the difficult decision to send their children to reside with their grandmother in the French territory of La Réunion, which is approximately a two-hour flight away from Mayotte.
Mousdikoudine said the decision was extremely tough, but she felt compelled to make it.
"It reached a point where I couldn't guarantee the well-being of my children anymore. Providing them with nutritious meals, maintaining their hygiene, including using the restroom and washing, became a challenge."
At any moment things can get out of hand
Water in Mayotte is not only scarce, but whats available is often contaminated.
Residents in Mayotte are using the hashtag #MayotteASoif to share videos online of the brown, sediment-filled water coming out of their taps. There have been protests, with individuals like Mousdikoudine taking to the streets. The Regional Health Authority (ARS) in Mayotte has confirmed multiple cases of contaminated water. Olivier Brahic, the ARS general manager, stated that as of mid-October, around 3% of the water supply didn't meet safety standards.
Many residents, however, consider the water quality problem to be of significant concern. According to Estelle Youssouffa, a lawmaker representing Mayotte in the French National Assembly, authorities claim the water is safe to drink based on tests conducted several hours after the interruption.
The ARS confirmed to CNN that tests are conducted once water has been running for 12 hours subsequent to a disruption.
Mousdikoudine and Attoumani both asserted that following a disruption, it takes several hours for the water to run clear. Unfortunately, most residents cannot abstain from using water during the rationed period.
A dried up reservoir in Dzoumogne on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte on October 15, 2023.
Marion Joly/AFP/Getty Images
Women fill up buckets with water in the district of M'tsamoudou, near Bandrele, on Mayotte, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023.
Gregoire Merot/AP
During the ongoing water crisis, the health risks persist. Dr. Soumeth Abasse, the president of the medical committee of Mayotte's Hospital, has reported an acute gastroenteritis epidemic on the island.
According to Abasse, gastroenteritis epidemics are expected during the summer months, but this particular one is lasting longer into the fall. He also noted a deterioration in the cases, with some being more severe and complex, leading to a significant number of patients requiring intensive care.
The epidemic's causes, as he stated, are both contaminated water and lower hygiene standards caused by limited access to water. This, in turn, affects people's ability to wash their hands, shower, flush toilets, and clean their homes.
In Huarina, Bolivia, an Aymara man is seen walking on the parched and fissured surface of Lake Titicaca on Thursday, July 27, 2023. The depletion of the lake's water level is adversely affecting the indigenous flora and fauna as well as the livelihoods of local communities dependent on the natural boundary between Peru and Bolivia.
The drying out of the world's highest navigable lake poses a constant fear of potential outbreaks of water-borne diseases, according to Abasse. He expressed concerns about the limited staff available to effectively manage such situations and emphasized the need for prompt action.
The hospital in Mayotte is understaffed, which is just one of several infrastructure problems that the French department is currently dealing with. According to Youssouffa, the population of Mayotte has nearly doubled since 2007, but the necessary improvements to infrastructure have not been made.
Water production on the territory is consistently inadequate, as stated by the Prefecture. Water shortages are a common problem on the island, even when there is no drought, and this issue has been prevalent for many years, even before the significantly reduced rainfall this year.
The combination of a growing population and the effects of climate change has further exacerbated the situation, with droughts becoming more frequent and severe. As a result, the islands' water resources are under immense pressure.
"Youssouffa mentioned that the rainfall has been decreasing over the years, leading to a noticeable shift in the course of cyclones and rainfall patterns within the region. This is a clear demonstration of the direct influence of climate change."
Despite ongoing discussions, no progress has been made on the construction of a third water reservoir and a second desalination plant, as confirmed by the Prefecture.
Mayotte has secured funding to address its urgent water crisis. In 2014, the European Commission granted Mayotte 22 million euros ($24 million) for its water supply, as a component of a broader funding initiative.
However, in 2021, disbursements of the complete fund were temporarily halted following an audit that identified "significant irregularities and deficiencies" in the handling of the funds, before subsequently resuming this year. According to the Prefecture, less than fifty percent of the allocated funds for water have been utilized thus far.
Its not a normal life
A man fills a bucket with water in Dzaoudzi, on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, Nov. 7, 2023.
Marion Joly/AFP/Getty Images
The financial consequences of the severe water crisis continue to pose challenges for the people of Mayotte.
Despite the introduction of a price freeze on bottled water by the French government in July, a pack of six 1.5 liter bottles can still be as expensive as 12 euros ($13), as reported by CNN affiliate BFMTV. This pricing makes it inaccessible for the majority of the island's population. Moreover, there is also the issue of availability of bottled water, adding to the difficulties faced by the locals.
Elsa Leduc, a humanitarian worker, relocated from Paris to Mayotte in September. She expressed her frustration at the constant struggle to find bottled water, stating that it has become a daily task. "Whenever I visit the supermarket, water is always unavailable," she mentioned. "I have no choice but to resort to smaller, more expensive shops."
Fortunately, Leduc is financially capable of affording the inflated prices, unlike the majority of people on the island. According to INSEE, a staggering 77% of Mayotte's residents live below the national poverty line, a number that is five times higher compared to the rest of France.
"The water crisis in Mayotte is rendering it uninhabitable," Youssouffa stated. "It is severely impacting public services, education, and businesses, disrupting the normal way of life."
Mousdikoudine and Attoumani, similar to numerous Mahorais, question why the authorities neglected to anticipate this crisis.
Attoumani stated that small (water) cuts have been occurring since 2018, indicating a lack of rainfall. Therefore, he believes that better preparation and problem-solving measures should have been implemented.
Youssouffa claimed that the entire system is visibly deteriorating due to water shortages, which is hindering its proper functioning. He emphasized that water is an essential commodity that cannot be overlooked.
All hopes are on the rainy season, which starts in December. But Mousdikoudine worries it wont be enough. "I know things are going to get worse."
