In front of his almost empty water collectors, Manuel, a gardener from Senlis (Oise) makes the same observation as his neighbors and gardeners from all over the department: the lack of rain is beginning to become worrying over a large part of the territory. A drought that was also spotted by the Monitoring Committee of Water Resources, with the key to new measures of restrictions on water use taken by the prefect of Oise.
The most worrying situation is in the north of the department, on the sectors of Aronde and Matz, which have just passed into "crisis", the highest level of restriction. On these two areas, it is now prohibited, according to the latest measures announced by the authorities, to wash cars, water sports fields and golf courses with the exception of greens under conditions.
It is also forbidden to irrigate agricultural crops with the exception of market gardening and vegetable crops in the field, again under conditions. In addition, industrial levies will have to be reduced by 25%, with the exception of certain activities. Gardeners, on the other hand, should not water the vegetable gardens between 9 and 20 hours. While watering flower beds, lawns and green spaces is prohibited, whatever the time, as is the cleaning of facades or sidewalks.
See alsoThe drought threatens watercress production in the Oise: "For this year, it's already over for us"
A notch below, the sector of Nonette and Thève in the south of the Oise, passes him in "enhanced alert". A status that already affected the south-west of the department and the Brèche basin. The rest of the Oise is content - for the moment - with a simple vigilance. But the weather forecast does not give much cause for optimism.
"No trend scenario emerges concerning weather forecasts and rainfall over the next three months, which has led to the classification of the department as a very likely drought risk for this summer 2023," warns the prefecture of Oise in support of the announcement of restrictions. Measures that could, in the long term, concern the entire department.