Wash your car, fill your pool or water your garden. Small gestures that could cost the French dearly in this unprecedented drought. To ensure that everyone respects the restrictions, the French Office of Biodiversity (OFB) carries out daily checks even in private gardens.
After the generalization of the drought in the area, the number of operations has exploded. at the end of May, the environmental police listed about 500 inspections carried out since the beginning of the year. At the end of July, he had 2,000, and a week later, 4,000.This is a significant increase, but proportionate to the situation“, explains Loïc Obled, Deputy CEO.Police, knowledge, expertisein OFB.
Patrolling and reporting
Specifically, these activities are carried out by various departmental teams that ensure the implementation of prefectural orders. These measures differ from one department to another, depending on the problems and characteristics of the area. Around forty additional agents may be mobilized throughout the area during this crisis period to reinforce the teams.
Their role. patrol and intervene in inappropriate behavior. “They can also respond to a report on an identified area, says Loic Obled. This is the case when the information comes from municipalities or even local residents“. Reports that allow them to directly intervene in private homes, for example in their garden, when inappropriate water consumption is reported to them.
These actions do not systematically lead to sanctions, on the contrary. “8 to 9 out of 10 people observe the prohibitions provided by the orders of the district administration. emphasizes Loic Obled. And, when it’s not, the goal is really to teach, to explain why washing your car isn’t a good idea right now.“.
Still a difficult pedagogy, according to OFB, which explains that water remains a special good in the eyes of users. “Everyone thinks that their personal use takes precedence over others… So our goal is to strike a balance between this consumption and the conservation of this resource.Loic Obled continues.
The most stable, about a tenth, fall under the jurisdiction of the prosecutor’s office, which imposes any sanctions, from a reminder of the law to the payment of a fine. The latter can range from €1,500 for a first offense to €3,000 for a second offence. Companies, they risk up to €7,000.
From Explanation to Sanctions
Explanation and discussion are all the more important because some agencies are not yet accustomed to drought restrictions. “Residents in Brittany or Rhône-Alpes have come under a lot of scrutiny because their lifestyles are much less adapted to these intense droughts.“, the specialist notes.
The ten-day monitoring wave has not yet ended and should continue throughout the drought. “These first actions allowed to raise awareness and warn local residents about the importance of respecting the restrictions. Little by little, we will bet that everyone is now aware of these questions– explains the specialist before the warning.We will move from the explanation phase to more sanctions“.
Source: Le Figaro
