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Drought: if it does not rain quickly, "the situation will worsen" in many departments

2022-05-09T06:40:40.955Z


Fifteen departments are already subject to restrictions linked to the lack of water, according to the official Propluvia website. With rising temperatures


Prefectural decrees fall almost every day and the list of departments is growing: Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, Var… All are affected by an episode of drought.

In the Bouches-du-Rhône, the level of "crisis" has even been crossed.

Consequently, restrictions apply in these territories, in particular on drinking water.

In Vienne, for example, the prefecture published a press release evoking a “hydrological situation

(which)

remains very worrying and risks deteriorating rapidly”.

For months, the rainfall deficit has been widening in France.

According to the Météo Villes website, eight of the last nine months have had a deficit in terms of precipitation.

And the cumulative rain for this month of April 2022 was 35% lower than normal.

With the announced rise in temperatures at the start of the week, the situation should not improve, predicts meteorologist Guillaume Séchet.

“In fact, we are in much the same situation as in 1976

(the worst drought of the last century)

, with a drought that started in the fall.

What is feared is that, as the reserves have not been replenished during the winter (the

season when the water tables are normally replenished)

, with the hot season, the slightest precipitation will evaporate.

As no rain is expected in the next few days, the situation will worsen.

»

A hope of rain at the end of May

According to Météo News, "precipitation would remain in deficit until May 22 before a hope of more rain for the season, or even excess at the end of the month".

In the meantime, the course of the rivers is dwindling almost everywhere in France, with the exception of the South-West, which is still somewhat spared.

In Indre, the Trégonce and Ringoire rivers which supply the drinking water network have already passed the first restriction thresholds.

“For the moment, there is no shortage, but if the heat gets there, there will be consequences”, warns Guillaume Séchet.

To avoid reaching this point, the uses of water from drinking water networks have moved to the vigilance stage in several departments with a call for sobriety.

This concerns in particular non-priority private or public uses, such as washing buildings and roads, watering green spaces and sports grounds, supplying fountains and water jets, washing vehicles or filling private swimming pools.

Source: leparis

All news articles on 2022-05-09

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