Nearly two thirds of water tables at a level below seasonal averages, 189 municipalities deprived of drinking water: the water crisis “is not yet behind us” despite a rainier summer of 2023, said the minister of the Ecological Transition in an interview with Libération. The figures disclosed by Christophe Béchu in an article published Wednesday evening on the Libération website show that the number of municipalities suffering from water shortages as of September 8 has more than doubled compared to the last inventory, on August 10, when they were 85.
“Many are found in the Mediterranean basin, in the Rhone corridor, but we also have a few cases in Brittany. In total, 40,000 people are deprived of drinking water,” noted Mr. Béchu. At the same time last year, some 700 municipalities were affected.
“At the same time, 62% of groundwater tables were below seasonal averages, and 18% were at very low levels. Last year, on the same date, 77% of them were below average and 20% very low,” the minister listed. The Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), responsible for monitoring aquifers, will publish its results for the month of August on Thursday.
