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View of Toulouse: “Climate change is forcing us to make decisions”
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Ed Jones/AFP
The reform is set to apply from 2025: In order to counter the water shortage threatened by climate change, the southern French city of Toulouse is increasing the price of tap water during the summer.
In order to encourage the population to use drinking water more sparingly in the summer, the price will be increased by 42 percent between June and October compared to the previous tariff, the broadcaster BFMTV reported after a corresponding decision by the greater Toulouse region on Thursday. From November to May, the water tariff will be reduced by 30 percent. The decision applies to the city of Toulouse and the surrounding communities with a total of around 850,000 inhabitants.
The region is facing a problematic summer with very low water levels, said the mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc. It was therefore important to send a signal to the population with the new water tariffs so that new water consumption practices become part of everyday life.
Moudenc's deputy Robert Médina had previously explained that the higher price should also be understood symbolically, since agriculture, for example, uses significantly more water than private households. »Toulouse wants to make a statement. With the droughts of the summers of 2022 and 2023, everyone understands that we have to pay attention to water resources, take shorter showers and make fewer washing machines. A new water management is necessary. »Climate change is forcing us to make decisions.«
Meanwhile, the opposition criticized the new tariff. This is “not an incentive, but clearly punitive. It will affect the people who are most in difficulty,” said Karine Traval-Michelet, mayor of the municipality of Colomiers. The “unfair” and “completely non-innovative” pricing would not lead to water savings.
sol/dpa