Malé faces bottled water shortage

Malé is facing a drinking water shortage after production companies halted deliveries to shops and businesses. 

Local media reported that supplies are low for the Life brand produced by Happy Market and the Taza brand produced by a subsidiary of the Malé Water and Sewerage Company. 

According to shopkeepers, Happy Market and MWSC have stopped taking orders for five-litre bottles until next week.

“They aren’t even noting down orders for Taza 1.5-litre cases. The last time they brought fresh supplies was last Monday. Right now Taza is only providing 5-litre water bottles. Others are only available earliest on Sunday,” a shopkeeper in Maafannu ward told Mihaaru.

Shops have started rationing water after MWSC failed to deliver this week’s supplies.

The locally produced bottled mineral water is reportedly being sold at inflated prices. Some corner shops in the capital have increased the price of a smaller bottle to MVR15 (US$1).

With desalinated tap water unsafe to drink without boiling, most of the 150,000-strong population in the capital rely on bottled water.

Higher demand during the dry northeastern monsoon also contributes to recurrent supply shortages. Temperatures peak during March and April, reaching nearly 34 degree Celsius during the day.

A shortage from early March to late May last year prompted intervention from the economic ministry to control prices.