government gives green light to reuse wastewater

VS’is a long-awaited easing in the midst of a heat wave. As revealed The echoesthe State is preparing to promote reuse of rainwater and wastewater, after several months of divergence between the Ministries of Agriculture, Ecological Transition and Health. Three texts must “accelerate the possibility of reusing wastewater”, explains to our colleagues the entourage of Agnès Firmin Le Bodo, Minister Delegate for Health. “The position of the Ministry of Health has evolved with regard to climate pressure. Until then, we had not had to manage a limited water resource in France,” he adds.

Concretely, the first text focuses on the watering of green spaces and farmland irrigation with treated wastewater. Validated by the Council of State, its publication is imminent. Scheduled for the end of the year, the second concerns domestic uses and would make it possible to use the water from the gutters in flushing the toilets, to water the plants or wash the floors. Finally, the third will dwell on the conditions for reusing water in agri-food companies.

After the high temperatures experienced by the French during the 2022 summer drought episodes, the government launched a water plan last March which notably provides for greater use of wastewater. At present, less than 1% of water is reused in France and Emmanuel Macron had set the objective of moving to 10% reuse of wastewater by 2030, which is equivalent to a volume of 300 million Cubic meters.

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