Water is a scarce commodity in times of drought. Many departments have therefore put in place restrictions in order to relieve their thirsty groundwater. Controls on water use have resulted in a finding of violation or breach in around 7% of cases since the start of the year, according to a report from the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) published Friday.
“To date, the OFB has already carried out nearly 6,000 controls relating to quantitative water management measures throughout the national territory, 90% of which relate to drought decrees issued by the prefects in the departments”, indicates the public establishment, which concentrated more than 1,000 checks on the single week of July 3 to 10.
Fines of up to 1,500 euros for individuals
“Mistakes or offenses committed by professionals or individuals were noted in approximately 7% of cases. These control operations will continue at least until the autumn, as long as the restrictions linked to the drought persist, ”adds the OFB in a press release.
Among the types of offences: “prohibited irrigation, exceeding authorized flow rates, watering, unauthorized hours, swimming pools, etc. “, detailed a spokesperson for the OFB. Persons incur a fine of 1,500 euros and legal persons 7,500 euros. In mid-August, 78 departments were affected by water restrictions, including 40 in a crisis situation, corresponding to the highest level of alert, according to the latest figures provided by the OFB.
72% of its water tables below normal
In “crisis”, many uses of water are prohibited, such as filling swimming pools, washing cars or watering sports grounds. In agriculture, irrigation is also prohibited (except seeds and plants with certain systems).
“The various checks carried out by OFB agents are placed under the authority of the prefects who identify the types of water use and the geographical sectors of the department to be prioritized. Thus, according to these, they may concern individuals, farmers, businesses or even communities, ”said the spokesperson. France had 72% of its water tables below seasonal norms on August 1, against 68% a month earlier, despite the summer rains, which cannot penetrate the ground deeply, according to the latest government tally.