Project Neptune - Overview of PUC’s water conservation campaign |13 May 2017

The water conservation campaign by the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) is a vital part of Project Neptune, a multi-year programme to revitalise and expand Seychelles’ water supply and sewage systems on all three major islands.

Project Neptune rationale

Currently, water storage facilities are inadequate in capturing the 2,300mm of rainfall that Seychelles receives annually. Studies in 2010 and 2011 confirmed that water deficits will worsen over time, and have an increasingly adverse economic, social, and environmental impact on Seychelles. Additionally, around 38% of water produced is in fact non-revenue water; water that is lost either due to leaks or breaks in the distribution system or is unpaid for by consumers. 

With an average daily demand of 38,000m³ per day, and a water supply deficit of approximately 2.1 million m³ during the dry season, the PUC has developed the Seychelles Water Supply Development Plan (SWSDP) 2008-2030 to propose solutions for the challenges faced by the water sector in Seychelles. The SWSDP is being implemented to revamp our water supply system and alleviate our water deficits.

Project Neptune – paths to even higher standards of service delivery

A significant part of the revitalisation programme that resulted from the SWSDP was named Project Neptune, and this is being co-financed by the government of Seychelles, the European Investment Bank, Agence Française de Développement, the European Development Fund and the African Water Facility. The programme also includes improvements to the technical capacity of PUC staff and upgrading of tools to help ensure efficient operation of water and sanitation facilities.

Project Neptune involves:

• A water demand management programme, including promoting rain water harvesting and household water storage, the water conservation awareness campaign, and promotion of by-laws and water saving devices;
• Upgrading and increasing by 50% the production capacity of the existing six desalination plants located on Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue islands with a total output of 24,050m³ a day;
• Reduction of the non-revenue water (NRW) in the water supply network of Mahé, including replacement of old pipes, analysis and replacement of bulk and customer meters, the purchasing of several software, hardware, leak detection and pressure management equipment;
• Optimising and increasing the efficiency and adapting key components of the water supply system in Mahé, namely the Hermitage and Cascade water treatment plants and trunk mains;
• An energy audit and equipment for reduction of energy consumption;
• Technical assistance and project management support, and also capacity building for the operation of the water and sanitation systems, including design and implementation of environmental, water resources and disaster mitigation and management systems; and,
• Other management programmes related to environmental, water resources, and risk mitigation.

Project Neptune represents the first European Investment Bank-supported water project in Africa that specifically focuses on reducing the threat of, and ensuring long-term preparation for, climate change. The initiative will both seek to mitigate the risk of water rationing that could pose a serious threat to economic activity and quality of life in Seychelles, and better manage waste water to avoid health risks and water contamination.