The meteorological conditions since the beginning of the year let fear it and it is now confirmed: the drought is present on a large part of the country. 86 departments are placed on alert and are subject to restrictions on the use of water on Sunday July 24, according to the official Propluvia website.
According to the map available on the site, only a few departments are spared by this episode of drought and the Centre-Val de Loire and Pays de la Loire regions seem to be the most affected and are in red. But the Val-de-Marne has also taken orders for several of its municipalities.
The various heat waves of recent weeks combined with the lack of rainfall across the country since the beginning of the year have caused a drought that is becoming more prevalent every day. From Côtes-d’Armor to Hérault, via Moselle and Corsica, 86 departments have been placed on drought alert by their prefectures. Among them, the Pays de la Loire and the Poitou-Charentes region are particularly affected, but Isère has also been placed on the maximum alert level for most of these territories.
However, the authorities’ recommendations apply to everyone and throughout the country since the situation should not improve in the coming weeks and other departments should be placed on alert.
Several levels of alert throughout France
On its interactive map, the Propluvia site gives four levels of alert ranging from the state of vigilance to the state of crisis. Much of France is currently in yellow and orange, respectively alert and heightened alert, which means that the use of water there is closely scrutinized. The site thus explains that the departments on alert require a reduction in withdrawals for agricultural purposes of less than 50% and a ban at certain times on watering gardens, green spaces, golf courses or even washing your car.
The state of heightened alert (in orange) is the third level. It calls for a reduction in withdrawals for agricultural purposes greater than or equal to 50% as well as a stronger limitation of withdrawals for watering gardens, green spaces, golf courses, and car washing. Finally, there is the state of crisis which is currently active in some fifteen areas and requires a halt to non-priority water withdrawals, including for agricultural purposes. Only withdrawals to ensure the exercise of priority uses such as health or drinking water are authorized.