Tatiana Geiselmann, edited by Romain Rouillard 07:52, August 07, 2022

In departments placed in a state of crisis, i.e. the highest level of vigilance due to drought, it is forbidden to water green spaces, sports grounds or even to fill your swimming pool.

To ensure compliance with the instructions, "green brigades" crisscross these territories.

In the 66 departments placed in a state of crisis due to the drought, the rules are clear.

Water is precious and can only be used in certain specific cases.

Forget watering green spaces or filling swimming pools.

To ensure compliance with the instructions, "green brigades" are mobilized in the territories concerned.

Europe 1 followed one of them in the Haut-Rhin. 

Green polo shirts on the shoulders and rangers on the feet, Manon Immelé and Pierre-Paul Spitz have barely arrived at the office when they already have to get into the car to leave for an intervention.

"We had a call for someone passing the Karcher," explains Pierre-Paul.

However, cleaning your yard is prohibited in times of drought, which many are unaware of. 

>>

READ ALSO

- Drought: in Angers, a garden where plants do not need water

“Currently, on average we are at two (interventions) per day I would say”, estimates Pierre-Paul.

"We also have a lot of people who call us to ask us, if they have the right, if they don't have the right", adds Manon Immelé.

And Pierre-Paul concludes: "The secretariat has been overloaded". 

"More in information than in repression" 

Also overloaded with calls to denounce neighbors in violation.

"We have denunciations, but also observations on our part. When we patrol and we see someone going through the Karcher, watering ...".

There are still traces of watering in this house.

"Here, we can clearly see that the karcher has squirted the earth aside and we can see that it is water that has dried up", shows Manon.

The owner of the premises is not on site, unlike his grandson.

"For information, it's forbidden, there is a water restriction", Pierre-Paul tells him.

The culprit gets off with a simple warning.

"We are more in the information than in the repression. Often people are not aware so we warn them hoping not to have to come back. On the other hand, if we come back, there, we will not let it pass. The fine can go up to 1,500 €.