Drought: will you be able to fill, buy or build your pool this summer? Rules region by region

Ophélie Artaud 15h55, 05 May 2023

After a very dry winter, rain returned this spring in part of the country. Unfortunately, this should not make it possible to fill the water tables before the summer, especially in regions already very affected by drought, such as the Mediterranean rim.

At the beginning of May, several departments are already on drought alert and many others on alert, as shown by a map published on the website of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Propluvia. In all, 47 departments are concerned, and water restriction measures are beginning to be put in place depending on the alert level.

© Propluvia

In grey, areas on alert (level 1); in yellow, areas on alert (level 2); in orange, areas on heightened alert (level 3); in red, areas on alert (level 4). Credit: Propluvia, Ministry of Ecological Transition

In the Var, the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Gard, which have already reached the maximum level called "crisis", the watering of green spaces or the washing of cars are already prohibited. Added to this is the prohibition to fill his private pool, or even to build one. So, will you be allowed to fill or adjust the level of your pool this summer, build one or buy one? Europe 1 takes stock.

Areas where it is forbidden to fill your pool

First, it is necessary to differentiate between the different levels of drought warning. The first level is that of simple vigilance, where there are no restrictions but incentives to save water. Then comes level 2 of "alert", which prohibits watering gardens or green spaces, or washing your car at certain times of the day. In the departments on "enhanced alert" (level 3), watering limitations are stronger and also concern farmers. Finally, the maximum level (level 4) is that of "crisis", where only priority water withdrawals are authorized (namely those related to health, civil security, sanitation or access to drinking water).

In departments that have a level 2 and 3 (alert and enhanced alert), it is forbidden to completely fill or empty your private pool, except in case of upgrading or if it is a first filling. This only applies to pools whose construction began before the water restrictions began.

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These include Oise, Yvelines, Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, Haute-Saône, Vienne, Deux-Sèvres, Ain, Isère, Drôme, Ardèche, Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Vaucluse, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales. It should be noted that depending on the department, only part of the territory may be affected by the limitations.

As for the departments in alert level 4 (crisis), the filling and emptying of private swimming pools is totally prohibited. For the moment, the Var, the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Gard are concerned but new departments could soon reach this critical threshold.

In case of non-compliance with water restrictions, offenders are liable to a fine of 1,500 to 3,000 euros in case of recidivism.

These cities that prohibit the construction of new swimming pools

Beyond restrictions on filling already built pools, some cities are beginning to ban the construction of new pools due to drought. This is particularly the case in the municipality of Elne, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, where the town hall has voted a municipal decree to no longer issue building permits for individual swimming pools, but also wells and domestic boreholes.

>> READ ALSO - Winter drought: is a water shortage to be feared in France this summer?

In the Var, the nine municipalities of the Pays de Fayence also took the decision at the end of February to no longer issue building permits for five years. These are the villages of Fayence, Callian, Mons, Tourrettes, Tanneron, Montauroux, Saint-Paul-en-Forêt, Seillans and Bagnols-en-Forêt. Swimming pools are obviously concerned by this decree, as are individual houses or buildings. A decision taken by the community of communes of the Pays de Fayence to ensure that the population does not lack water this summer, while resources are increasingly weak.

In addition to in-ground pools, the sale of above-ground pools will also be banned in the Pyrénées-Orientales from May 10, announced Friday the Minister of Ecological Transition. A way to "avoid having people who buy pools and who then have the temptation to fill them even though we prohibit this filling," explained Christophe Béchu.

Other municipalities may soon make similar decisions. In France, in 2018, 2.5 million households living in single-family homes owned a swimming pool, according to figures from the Federation of Pool and Spa Professionals.