Fuvahmulah water crisis: gov’t fails to consult city council

Fuvahmulah City Deputy Mayor Mohamed Fikury has stated that the government has not consulted the City Council regarding efforts to resolve the ongoing water crisis or the provision of water to residents.

According to Fikury, the government has neither communicated with the council nor provided any official information about the situation. He noted that the council took the initiative to meet with senior Fenaka Corporation officials in Fuvahmulah on Monday night to seek clarification on several matters.

Fikury said the council had also engaged with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Southern Region and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to obtain updates. The most recent information received was on Monday night, after which no further communication has been made by the government.

He explained that Fenaka has informed the council of plans to clean the water network by injecting a high dose of chlorine, advising households not to use the water during this process. Although no specific timeline was provided, Fenaka officials indicated that the cleaning would take at least two to three days.

Since Monday midnight, water has been transported from both Fuvahmulah and Addu for local distribution, while additional supplies are being flown in from Malé City on two flights and distributed to residents.

With the city facing a severe water shortage, local shops have begun limiting customers to five cases of bottled water per person. Despite the escalating crisis, the government has not issued any statements or updates on the measures being taken to address the issue.

The water contamination problem reportedly emerged recently after the Health Protection Agency (HPA) instructed Fenaka to cut off the water supply due to bacterial contamination. However, Fenaka has yet to release an official statement beyond its announcement that a high concentration of chlorine is being used to clean the network. The corporation has cautioned that the water is currently unsafe for use and that a public notification will be made once cleaning is complete.

It has now been six days since the water supply in Fuvahmulah City was suspended, following confirmation from HPA tests that the water was unfit for consumption. HPA has not disclosed any further information since.

The Fuvahmulah Fenaka office reiterated in a notice issued on Monday that the chlorination process is ongoing and advised residents to refrain from using the water until further notice.

As the crisis continues, the government has not provided any details about the work being carried out or included the City Council in the response efforts.

Meanwhile, MDP President Abdulla Shahid has called on the government to immediately ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Fuvahmulah residents. Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Shahid criticized the government and Fenaka Corporation for failing to address the problem despite being aware of the water supply issues for several days.

He accused the government of neglecting its responsibility to safeguard citizens’ basic rights and provide essential services, adding that the administration’s incompetence is becoming increasingly evident. Shahid questioned whether the government is “asleep” while issues such as the Fuvahmulah water crisis and similar problems in other regions continue to worsen.