Since the weather records began in 1959, there has not been such a long period without rain in France as this year. The government in Paris is now taking immediate measures to prepare for another summer of drought.
“The absence of rain for more than 30 days in France poses a major threat to our water resources this summer,” government spokesman Olivier Véran said after the cabinet meeting in Paris on Wednesday. “Because every second counts, the government has called on the prefects to take extraordinary measures to gradually and temporarily restrict or ban non-priority water use for private households and businesses with immediate effect,” the statement said.
Municipality issues construction ban for swimming pools
Restrictions have already been imposed in the departments of Pyrénées-Orientales, Var, Isère, Ain, Bouches-du-Rhône and Savoie, the newspaper “Libération” reported on Wednesday. Irrigating gardens and sports stadiums, filling swimming pools and washing cars were all banned – a restriction unprecedented for the time of year. In the southern French department of Var, the municipality of Callian has already banned the construction of new swimming pools for the next five years because of the lack of water. There are already about 1,000 swimming pools in the municipality, said Mayor François Cavallier. “This way of life is based on abundance and inexhaustible water.”
Over the weekend, President Emmanuel Macron called for national water conservation, similar to energy conservation efforts during the winter. “We have a dry winter and not enough rain at the crucial moment, which can replenish our groundwater reserves,” Macron said. “So we know that, like last summer, we’re going to have scarcity issues.” Rather than forcing scarce water to regulate at the last minute, it’s important to plan early.
Source: Krone
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