It goes on, and on, and on. And that's unfortunately not the beginning. The prefecture of Yvelines has just extended until at least December 31 its decree on the use of water due to the severe drought that the department has been experiencing for more than a year. After the drought in the summer of 2022, a winter drought followed, and the aquifers had not been able to fill sufficiently until last summer, which was also too dry. The storms of August and September did not lead to any improvement.
"The exceptional drought of the summer of 2023 and winter 2022 led to the emptying of the aquifers and a lack of recharge in the normally most favourable periods," the State services specify. This emptying continues beyond the anticipated periods, despite the recent rains observed in the department. Already in September, the prefect had reinforced the alert.
#SĂ©cheresse
In view of the current situation:@Prefet78 extends the order restricting the use of water until December 31,
đź”´ 2023.
👉maintaining the Centre zone in a crisis situation and the Seine zone in a state of vigilance
👉, moving from the South-East and South-West zones to... pic.twitter.com/EdZwjwMnKi
— Prefect of Yvelines 🇫🇷 (@Prefet78) October 27, 2023
In particular, the prefecture points out that the groundwater levels measured in Bréval, in the north-west of Yvelines, are particularly low. A total of 82 municipalities are still in a crisis situation, including Mantes-la-Ville, Beynes, Les Clayes-sous-Bois, Villepreux, Élancourt, Maurepas, Plaisir, Saint-Cyr-l'École and Montfort-l'Amaury.
Prohibitions also extended
According to the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), which is responsible for monitoring the main drinking water reserves, two-thirds of France's aquifers were below normal on 1 October. The situation is slightly worse than at the end of August. The Yvelines are no exception... The effects are particularly felt on the wetlands of the forests of Rambouillet, Rosny-sur-Seine and Marly-le-Roi, where drying out threatens biodiversity. And concerns for 2024 remain.
Read alsoAre you concerned by the drought? Our decryption of 6 maps to understand everything
This means that restrictions on water use will also remain in place in the department until at least the end of the year. It is forbidden to water your garden during the day (from 9 a.m. to 20 p.m.) or to wash your car at home (it is nevertheless possible to do so in high-pressure washing stations). Watering facades and roofs, sports fields during the day or golf lawns is also prohibited. Locally, mayors can also take more restrictive measures.
Controls are planned, as well as penalties for offenders, up to 5th class fines (1,500 euros fine) in some cases. While these measures mainly concern the 82 municipalities covered by the prefectural decree, it is nevertheless recommended that everyone be vigilant about their water consumption. The aim is to "guarantee priority uses such as public health and sanitation, civil security and drinking water supply," the prefecture said last month.