When the water taps run, she says, "I have to choose between taking a shower or preserving my water supply.'' The water taps determine the rhythm of life in Mayotte, an island territory of about 350,000 people northwest of Madagascar. But even without drought, Mayotte's water system wasn’t capable of fulfilling local needs. The local water union blames the water rationing on lack of production capacity, not lack of water. But Mayotte’s water crisis underlines inequalities and often awkward relationships between the central government in Paris and former colonies that remain part of France.

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Persons: ”, Philippe Vigier, Ben Issa Ousseni, “, Cyril Castelliti Organizations: European Union, Overseas Affairs, ., Local, Mayotte 1ère, AP Locations: Mayotte, Labatoir, Madagascar, Comoros, Combani, France, Paris, ___