• The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes extends the water restriction measures and places 55 new municipalities on "drought alert" compared to its former decree in view of the rainfall deficit and other data on rivers which are not to a normal level expected for this period.

  • In total, 153 of the 163 municipalities are affected by a ban on watering between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., a ban on washing your car outside in water-saving stations, a ban on filling a swimming pool and a 20% reduction. withdrawals or consumption.

  • The next update on the situation is expected next month.

“We are in an unprecedented situation since the first Météo-France readings in 1959, it has only happened once,” announces Pascal Jobert, departmental director of territories and the sea (DDTM) of the Alpes-Maritimes. who "does not want to hide anything" during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

153 of the 163 municipalities in the department have just been placed on “drought alert”, the 10 others, located near Cannes and able to benefit from the reserves of Lake Saint-Cassien, remain, “for the moment”, on “vigilance”.

The situation has therefore not improved since the first order of the prefecture on the drought on March 9, despite the few days of rain and storms.

“We have, on average throughout the department, a rainfall deficit of 50%, announces the director of the DDTM.

That is to say that instead of having had 600 mm of rain in our reserves, which should have been recharged from September 1 to March 24, we had 300 mm.

And in the aquifers, we are at the lowest level ever reached.

Usually, we arrive at this stage in the fall, here we are only in May.

»

Prohibition of watering from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Other factors enabled the DDTM to draw up this observation, in particular the level of the watercourses, which are not good, as well as the readings of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) on the level of the streams, of which some landmarks in the department show that they are "dry".

The humidity index is also observed, "it is to such an extent that we can say that it is ten-yearly, that it is at a rate that only returns one year out of ten", specifies Pascal Jobert .

Thus, the prefecture decided to extend the restrictive measures which already concerned 98 municipalities in the Alpes-Maritimes.

“It therefore leads to a ban on watering between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., a ban on washing your car outside in water-efficient stations, filling a swimming pool and a 20% reduction in withdrawals or consumption”, adds Audrey Massot. , Deputy Head of the Water Division of the DDTM.

Same prohibition for industrialists, commercial and farmers, except if they have a drip system, which allows "not to lose water".

Educational checks

"Educational" checks which will become repressive, started by the DDTM and the OFB, supported by the municipal police of certain communes.

"We are targeting the gulfs, the management of green spaces, the ports", underlines Pascal Jobert.

If the restrictions are not respected, “users risk up to 1,500 euros in fines and up to 3,000 euros in the event of a repeat offense”, affirms the director of the DDTM.

He reassures: “The situation does not lead us to a lack of water, it leads us to apply restrictions to avoid it.

“The decree is scheduled until June 30, 2022 “at least”, before a next point before the summer which promises to be hot, according to the forecasts of Météo-France which was not mistaken about those of the spring, announcing it as "very dry".

Planet

Alpes-Maritimes: The department on "alert" and "drought vigilance" until May 31

Planet

Drought: The lack of water is already being felt, the point in the four corners of France

  • Planet

  • Nice

  • walking sticks

  • Drought

  • Water

  • Paca