Alleviating Water Pollution in Mauritian Sugar Factories

Abstract

With regards to water and wastewater, Mauritian sugar factories are facing two major problems, the supply of  natural water is running low due to other demands and the compliance with the norms for effluent discharge. These problems can be tackled by adopting a sound water and wastewater management strategy consisting, as in the case of any other industry discharging liquid effluent, of optimisation of water use, identification of sources of water pollution, reduction of pollution-at-source, waste segregation and treatment. Results of work that had been carried out in Mauritian sugar factories in the field of water and wastewater since 1992 are  highlighted, and the strategy is detailed. Two successful cases where the strategy had partly been implemented are presented. It was concluded that the strategy was effective in helping sugar factories to  achieve compliance with the standards in Mauritius.

Keywords: water and wastewater management, sugar factory effluent, protection of environment, water  pollution.