Four departments of France are facing water restrictions, with high alerts in areas of three and one placed at crisis level. We look at what these alert levels mean and the areas affected.
The relatively wet winter and spring has replenished the water tables around much of France, with 65% above their average annual levels on May 1, 2024, data from the French geological survey shows.
Despite this, the departments of Ain, Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude and Hérault are facing water restrictions already.
There are essentially four levels of water restrictions that can be applied by the department:
Monitoring - launches information campaigns for the general public
Alert - reduces agricultural use by 50% (or banned three days per week), restrictions placed on recreational use, including filling or topping-up swimming pools and watering golf courses, watering gardens and washing cars
High alert - further limits agricultural use, recreational use and bans some activities in certain contexts
Crisis - bans all use except for reasons of health, safety, drinking and hygiene
These restrictions apply primarily to drinking water from the tap. People who use water from a well or a spring (considered ‘subterranean water’) can also be subject to restrictions, as can those who draw water from rivers (‘surface water’).
The areas with drinking water restrictions tend to place limits on subterranean and surface water too. However, these areas do not necessarily coincide entirely.
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To check on the local restrictions in your area, visit the website of France’s official water monitoring authority, Vigieau, here.
