Tap water cut for 16 hours a day due to drought in south of France village
Local businesses and holidaymakers say restrictions make it too difficult to stay in area
The restrictions have been in place for almost a month
T.Dallas / Shutterstock
A village in the south of France currently has its tap water cut for two-thirds of the day, as drought conditions mean it suffers from a severe lack of water.
Taps have been cut between the hours of 14:00 to 06:00 every day by the mayor of Durban-Corbières, Aude, in an effort to preserve the dwindling water supply.
The limitations have been in place since July 15, and show no signs of stopping soon.
Other measurements, such as the closure of the local swimming pool, are also in place.
The arrival of people visiting summer homes almost doubled the population of the commune from 650 to more than 1,000, putting further strain on water tables that are extremely low.
Local residents are frustrated by the restrictions, as are businesses, with bed and breakfast owners saying it has led to a high loss of income in what should be their busiest months, as visitors stay away from the area.
The anger extends to tourists. “Without water, it is impossible to enjoy our holiday [with our four children]. We returned from the nearby beach covered in sand and were unable to take a shower,” one holidaymaker told local media Midi Libre.
Extended lack of rainfall impacts area
“There is not enough water to go around,” without bringing in the heavy restrictions, the commune’s mayor Alain Laborde said to Le Figaro (paywall article).
He said the deputy mayor regularly checks in on elderly and vulnerable residents, bringing them bottles of water.
Government information site VigiEau, which allows residents to check on water restrictions in their level, notes the department is on ‘crisis’ alert for droughts, the highest possible.
Many activities, including the watering of plants and filling of private swimming pools, are banned in the department.
Many public areas also have restrictions on water use, including parks and golf courses, where watering the course is banned.
Read more: How do I see if any drought rules are affecting my French home?
Successive droughts in the south of France have left the Pyrénées-Orientales and neighbouring departments, including the Aude, with low water reserves.
Plentiful rain in autumn of 2023 and spring of 2024, which replenished reservoirs elsewhere in France, barely touched the area, leaving communes including Durban-Corbières, facing restrictions.
