Most of the department of Hérault has been placed on alert or enhanced drought alert, announced Friday the prefect, evoking "the worsening of the hydrological and hydrogeological deficit and unfavorable weather forecastsin the short term". As a result, the prefect announced in a statement that he had "decided to strengthen restrictions on water uses in the department".
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The lack of precipitation does not allow a recharge of the aquifers and maintains a soil dryness equivalent to a normal situation at the end of June. The flows of the rivers of the department are lower than the average of the season, even very low on some watersheds such as the Orb and the Hérault. The levels of groundwater are worrying, even reaching low records for the season in places," he said.
The watersheds of the Hérault, the Lergue, the Orb, the Jaur, the Vidourle and the Astienne aquifer have been placed on heightened alert, the Mosson and Lez watershed on alert, and the other areas of the department have been kept on alert.
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Filling of swimming pools prohibited
Among the measures implemented in areas of alert, the filling of private swimming pools or the washing of vehicles are prohibited and watering can only be done between 20:00 and 08:00. In situations of heightened alert, washing roads and watering private and public green spaces are strictly prohibited. Restrictions are also in place for agricultural and industrial uses of water. Thursday, the prefect of Hérault had already issued an unfavorable opinion to a golf project in the name of preserving water resources.
See alsoDrought: summer saved by the abundant rains of May?
The France is again facing the threat of historic drought at the start of summer, and several departments, particularly in the southern half of the country, have already imposed restrictions on water use. President Emmanuel Macron announced at the end of March a "sobriety plan" on water for all economic sectors, but which spares the agricultural sector, a major consumer.
