After the summer drought in 2022, the water table is already very low, and February was the driest since 1959 – since records were made.
The French government is urging fellow citizens to use water sparingly, as the winter has been very dry and the summer can be tough, BFMTV reports.
President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for a “water sober plan” because “the times of abundance is over.”
Minister for Ecological Transition Christophe Beschu said the situation is unprecedented because after the summer drought in 2022, the water table is already very low, and February was the driest since 1959 – since the observations.
“The situation is more difficult than last year, when almost all our departments were in a crisis situation … Now all the indicators are red,” he said.
According to the minister, it is necessary to introduce measures to conserve water so that the situation does not become critical by summer. Beshyu cited expert estimates, according to which, in the next few years, France will have 10-40% less water than usual.
In early March, the government will launch a special interagency group that will assess the risks associated with drought and heat and propose a response plan.
The departments of Isère, Bouches-du-Rhone, Var and Pyrenees-Orientales have already limited their water consumption due to the lack of rain.
Recall that in Novovorontsovka, Kherson region, the water supply was completely stopped due to a critical drop in the level of the Dnieper.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.