Several environmental associations are speaking out against a wave pool project in Canéjan, near Bordeaux. They are asking the courts to cancel the building permit. The project leaders claim that the surf park will be eco-responsible.
Will the Canéjan surf park, near Bordeaux, see the light of day? This artificial wave pool project, carried out by four entrepreneurs, is in the hands of the administrative court of Bordeaux (Gironde). Several associations filed an appeal at the end of July to cancel the building permit granted by Canéjan town hall. The appeal being suspensive, the work is at a standstill.
Basins “fed by rainwater”
But the associations continue to mobilize against the project, which is to be established on a former private industrial wasteland, 50 km from the Atlantic coast, with an opening planned for 2025. On site, two uncovered basins of 13,000 are planned. m2 and containing nearly 20,000 m3 of water in total. That’s around eight Olympic swimming pools.
According to Edouard Algayon and Nicolas Padois, two of the project leaders contacted by franceinfo, “the pools will be fed by rainwater collected via the roofs of the establishment” thanks to a system “precursor”. Without therefore drawing drinking water from groundwater, except for an initial filling. The two surf enthusiasts assure that the surf park will be “environmentally friendly”, because without artificialization of land while being self-sufficient in energy via solar panels.
Associations denounce a “lack of transparency”
But these arguments do not convince Rémy Petit, member of the Canéjan en transition collective, contacted by franceinfo. “There is a lack of transparency”particularly on the distribution between the use of rainwater and drinking water. “The objective is to block the project because it is materially impossible without having an impact on the environment”adds the one who is also a researcher at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE).
“They greatly overestimate” the amount of recoverable rain, because “they are based on rainfall averages from the 1950s-1980s”, explains Denis Loustau, hydrology researcher at INRAE. But according to “2024-2033 projections from Météo France”we can expect a reduction of 13 to 18% in the annual amount of precipitation while, on the contrary, potential evaporation would increase by 12 to 31%. “The water deficit and the need to recharge basins with drinking water were therefore underestimated”notes the hydrologist.
Regulations deemed unsuitable
Questioned on these questions, the mayor of Canéjan, Bernard Garrigou assures that he followed the law to the letter and maintains that he has no reason to refuse the building permit. At the beginning of August, the deputy (MoDem) for Gironde, Frédéric Zgainski, said he “firmly opposed” at the establishment of the surf park. “The project should have been the subject of an alert to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, an impact study could and should have been decided”, he added. Above all, it would be necessary “review the regulations” on this type of project which falls into a legal void, according to the mayor of Canéjan.