in the Nice region, water restrictions in the middle of winter

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FRANCEINFO

Article written by

S.Soubane, F.Griffond, J.Benzina, C.Pain, K.Cassuto, N.Bergot, France 3 Regions, J.-B.Vitiello, C.Marchand – franceinfo

France Televisions

The lack of precipitation for days has plunged the Nice region (Alpes-Maritimes) into an advanced drought. The inhabitants must reduce their water consumption, and the crops of the market gardeners suffer as a result.

It is a disturbing landscape, in the middle of February: the Lac du Broc, on the heights of Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), is reduced to a few puddles, as in the middle of summer. The Var is also almost dry. On the highest water table in the region, several municipalities are in enhanced drought alert, such as Saint-Zacharie (Var). The inhabitants must change their habits: ban on watering their cars or gardens during the day, taking shorter showers, avoiding baths, etc.

No rain for 27 days

For 27 days, it has not fallen more than one millimeter per day – a record since 1989. Market gardeners are suffering from it, as in Fréjus (Var). The culprit: an anticyclone, which prevents precipitation. They should arrive next week, but it is not yet enough to fill the groundwater deficit.


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