After a season of "water recharge" in deficit of 48% compared to normal, the prefecture on Thursday placed more than 2/3 of the municipalities of the Alpes-Maritimes, including Nice, Antibes or even Menton, on "drought alert".
Watering is prohibited between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., as is the washing of vehicles and roads, the filling of swimming pools and private spas or even water games.
The situation is not yet “critical” but it is truly worrying.
After a season of "water recharge" 48% short of normal, the prefecture placed more than 2/3 of the communes of the Alpes-Maritimes on Thursday, including Nice, Antibes and even Menton, on "drought alert" with a whole lot of restrictions, on the watering and filling of swimming pools in particular.
i ️ 98 municipalities in the #AlpesMaritimes are placed on drought alert resulting in the first water restriction measures for certain uses.
Find the municipalities concerned and the measures ⤵️https://t.co/zQ34eeSZUu pic.twitter.com/b9KkV6znkf
– Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@prefet06) March 31, 2022
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Clearly, from September to March, over the seven months most conducive to replenishing groundwater, only 357 mm of precipitation fell, against the usual 685 mm on average.
“This is the second time since the start of our surveys, in 1959, that such levels have been reached, explains Cécile Guyon, head of forecasting and climatology at Météo-France for the South-East.
The previous one dates from the 1989/1990 season.
»
The west of the department still preserved from restrictions
Result, "in the watersheds of Var, Roya, Paillon and Brague, the measurements carried out showed flows below the critical thresholds", specifies Pascal Jobert, the departmental director of Territories and the Sea. For the moment, those of Siagne, Cagne, Loup and Estéron are not affected.
To the west of the department, the Cannes basin is therefore, at this stage, preserved from restrictions, even “if it is important to observe economical behavior everywhere”, supports the head of the prefecture.
The entire Alpes-Maritimes department was first placed on “vigilance” on March 9.
After a month of January without a single drop of rain in Nice and a soil humidity rate up to 40% lower than normal, several departures of forest fires have also required major resources in recent days.
Rather unusual this early in the year.
Weather forecast still not favorable
And the situation has therefore not improved despite the rain that fell on Wednesday.
And it will not improve especially in the weeks to come, according to the forecasts of Météo-France.
In the 98 municipalities now on "drought alert", watering is prohibited between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Just like washing vehicles and roads, filling swimming pools and private spas or even water games.
And offenders are exposed to 5th class fines, up to 1,500 euros.
"The police, gendarmerie and also the French Office for Biodiversity will be responsible for the controls", state services in the department know.
The decree published Thursday is valid until April 30 but could be extended or even tightened by then, including by the mayors of the localities concerned themselves.
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