Find Water and Sanitation expertise in Seychelles

The principal source of potable water on the main islands are numerous freshwater rivers and streams, however, extreme rainfall patterns cause their flow to be erratic with frequent prolonged periods of drought. Thirty-eight catchments for rainfall on the main islands supply around 5% of treated and untreated water for domestic use and agriculture, commercial and industrial activities (2008). Four desalination plants, two on Mahé Island, one on Praslin and one on La Digue Island, compensate for water shortages during the dry period. PUC stores, treats and distributes potable water and collects, treats and disposes of sewage. There has been difficulty meeting demand during the dry season resulting in frequent water supply cuts. The Central Sewerage Treatment Plant in Victoria and Beau Vallon also treats water.

Seychelles suffers from water scarcity as rainfall is concentrated in a short period every year. In 2014 the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) began funding a project to renew and expand the water supply systems on the three main islands of Seychelles, upgrade the existing sewerage system on Mahé and create new sanitation facilities on La Digue.