Controls relating to the use of water, which may be restricted due to the persistent drought in France, have resulted in a finding of violation or breach in around 7% of cases since the start of the year, according to a report from the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) published on Friday August 18.
“To date, the OFB has already carried out nearly 6,000 controls relating to quantitative water management measures throughout the national territory, 90% of which relate to drought decrees issued by the prefects in the departments” , reports the public establishment, which concentrated more than 1,000 checks on the week of July 3 alone.
“Mistakes or violations committed by professionals or individuals were noted in approximately 7% of cases. These control operations will continue at least until the fall, as long as the drought restrictions persist,” the OFB added in a statement. Among the types of violations: “prohibited irrigation, exceeding authorized flow rates, watering, unauthorized hours, swimming pools, etc. “, detailed a spokesperson for the OFB to Agence France-Presse. Individuals incur a fine of 1,500 euros, and legal persons, a fine of 7,500 euros.
Forty departments in crisis
In mid-August, 78 departments were affected by water restrictions, including 40 in a crisis situation, which corresponds to the highest level of alert, according to the OFB. In the departments in crisis, many uses of water are prohibited, such as filling swimming pools, washing cars or watering sports grounds. With regard to agriculture, irrigation is also prohibited (except for seeds and seedlings requiring certain systems).
“The various checks carried out by OFB agents are placed under the authority of the prefects, who identify the types of water use and the geographical sectors of the department to be prioritized. Thus, according to these, they may concern individuals, farmers, businesses or even communities, ”said the spokesperson.
France had 72% of its groundwater tables below normal for the season on August 1, compared to 68% a month earlier, despite the summer rains, which cannot penetrate the ground deeply, according to the latest government tally.