Countries around the world, including Seychelles, are turning to the sea for water as the little available fresh supplies get depleted amid growing demand for the resource, that could well be at the centre of future international wars.

Both the Minister for Environment, Mr Ronny Jumeau, and the managing director of the water and sewerage division of the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), Mr Stephen Rousseau, said this on Friday March 21, when they launched a half-day seminar staged to mark World Water Day (WWD), which fell on Saturday March 22.

"The challenge facing the utility company to supply the growing need of water which is increasing at an alarming rate of 8% per annum is a major one," Mr Rousseau said, quoting the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and saying that increases in demand called for major efforts to harness new sources of fresh water.

"Water not previously considered as viable resources may have to be used and new techniques developed to protect the sources already providing water."

Mr Rousseau said that it was in that context that Seychelles Government had decided to tap the vast resources of the sea to provide the population of Seychelles with a reliable supply of water throughout the year irrespective of the climatic conditions.

Minister Jumeau noted that the issue of "Water for the future" as this year's WWD theme states, was very topical in Seychelles.

He remarked that internationally, "while the current war is about oil, future ones could quite well be over water."

He said that as the world moved to alternative sources of energy, water would be the key issue, especially at a time when climate was changing.

The minister expressed gladness to see that the 20 participants of the seminar stemmed from different sections, noting in particular that the meteorological services division of his ministry was represented.

"Water does not concern only PUC. It has become so complex," he said, noting that besides being a topical issue here, even internationally, going by what he saw as he followed what transpired in Kyoto during the Third World Water Forum, a lot of emphasis was being placed on water in small island states.

"They have many more problems that are a lot more complex," he said, giving a few examples and saying he would soon be talking about national issues connected with water supply locally, adding that water was going to be an issue on political, social and economic agenda for years to come. He expressed hope that the participants of the seminar would get a better understanding of the topic and would "try and explain to our people that to them it was simply a matter of turning on the tap, expecting to get water, of a particular taste and appearance. It doesn't matter, how safe the water is medically or healthwise. If people don't like the smell or the taste they will react," the minister said, adding that even Seychellois reacted the same way when they went overseas and encountered water with different characteristics from those they were used to.

Talking on the physical characteristics of water, Mr Rousseau quoted the World Health Organisation as saying that "to a large extent, consumers had no means of judging the safety of their drinking water, but their attitude towards their water supply and water suppliers would be affected to a considerable extent by the aspects of water quality that they are able to perceive with their own senses.

"It is natural, therefore, for consumers to regard with great suspicion the water that appears dirty or discoloured or has an unpleasant taste or smell, even though these characteristics may not in themselves be of any direct consequences to health."

LINKS