The drought is not receding in France: 68% of the water tables are still below normal, the Minister for Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu announced on Tuesday July 11, adding that if July were comparable to that of last year, we could go “towards complicated days” regarding water. Last month, 66% of the tablecloths were in this situation. “Since last summer, the water tables have not recharged. (…) We are still at 68% of the water tables below normal for the season”, said the minister on France Inter.
The Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), responsible for monitoring groundwater, the main drinking water reserves, is due to publish the full figures on Wednesday afternoon. Today, continued Christophe Béchu, compared to last month we have a “better situation in Brittany” but “worse in the Paris basin” and which remains “worrying in the Rhone corridor and the Mediterranean rim” despite there still some improvements, due to the June rains, particularly in the Alpes-Maritimes.
He recalled that the summer of 2022 had “been extraordinary”, with 700 municipalities deprived of drinking water. It had been marked by a drought “which reached record levels partly due to a catastrophic month of July with 90% water deficit”.
“State of vigilance”
France therefore remains “in a situation of vigilance” and if we have “again a month of July comparable to that of last year, we will go towards days which will be complicated”, added the minister. For several days, the temperature has continued to rise in France: this Tuesday, nine departments are on orange alert for the heat wave after a month of June which was the second hottest ever recorded in the country. Storms are also expected, but these rains are generally not very effective or not at all effective in recharging the water tables.
On Monday, more than 65 departments had restrictions in place on the use of water (alert, heightened alert or crisis levels), including around fifteen at crisis level, synonymous with water reserved for priority uses. In the morning, the Minister will present a new information platform for the French, “vigie eau”, to allow everyone to find the restrictions in progress in their municipality, by entering their address.