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Aisne: one year without drinking water in Vaudesson
Aisne: one year without drinking water in Vaudesson
(France 2)
Residents of the small town of Vaudesson in the Aisne region have been without drinking water for over a year. A prefectural decree prohibits its consumption due to pesticide pollution.
For over a year, Anaïs Wurtz and her family have adopted a new routine. “I always have to go down to the cellar to get bottles of water for cooking, for coffee, for brushing the children’s teeth…”says this resident of Vaudesson, in Aisne. A prefectural decree issued in July 2023 prohibits the consumption of tap water in the town. A dangerous pesticide has been identified by the regional health agency.
However, the price of water has almost doubled on the bills. “Before, I paid 1.25 euros per cubic meter. Since the bill for the first half of 2024, the cubic meter of water has increased to 2.40 euros, and I still cannot consume it”she explains. The mayor of Vaudesson, Christian Mériaux, after financing bottles of water for three months, found a new emergency solution: each household can go to a standpipe for free. However, it is located 3 km from the village, and accessible only once a day.
Today he wants to permanently connect his village to drinking water, but the cost, around 400,000 euros, is too high for the town of 250 inhabitants.
