It is with an annoyed look that Hélène Goetz, one of the managers, passes her hand through the flowers, on the balcony of the gigantic Julien hotel-restaurant, in Plaine, in the Bruche valley. The establishment is decorated by 530 planters, some of which have completely dried up. For the past week, the complex with spas and jacuzzis has had to drastically reduce your tap water consumptionafter having received a letter from the SDEA, the water union of Alsace-Moselle.
Due to the drought, the municipality of Plaine, which is only supplied by a source, had to draw on the reserve normally used to extinguish fires. And Hotel Julien usually uses a quarter of drinking water distributed in the village. “Since last Tuesday, we have not thrown away a single liter of water, whether it be ice buckets or the water used in the kitchen to cool meat”continues Hélène Goetz. “We were watering at night with all those buckets we had collected.”
– Bastien Munch
Changing habits
Below, we can see the swimming pool, the spas, the jacuzzis. “Anything that required too much water filtering was closed”, explains the manager. “We have a very understanding clientele so we haven’t had any problems. Anyway, everyone has to go in the same direction. We have to change all our habits. Us, our employees, but also our customers. ..”
The establishment has also left notes in the rooms asking them to take showers instead of baths. In total, the hotel-restaurant has reduced its daily water consumption by several tens of cubic meters.
“Everyone has to make an effort”
“The priority is first of all the inhabitants of the municipality”justifies Jean-Marc Chipon, the mayor of Plaine. “Last year, we managed to make a temporary supply for the Julien establishment, through the commune of Fouday, just next door. But this year, it is also subject to restrictions and we have not couldn’t do it just yet.” The elected official calls on the establishment to “to make holidaymakers aware that in the current situation, everyone has to make a little effort. If we have no more water for the inhabitants, there will be no more for the spa either. “
– Bastien Munch
The closed jacuzzis were finally able to reopen on Monday August 15, after four days of closure. The Julien hotel-spa remains in daily contact with the SDEA. And he claims to have learned the lesson well: from next year, huge rainwater collection tanks will be installed to water the flower beds.