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Water shortage: the scourge of leaks in small towns
The Intercommunalités de France association has identified 198 municipalities in France where the leak rate exceeds 50%. Where are they located? And why so many leaks?
(France 2)
The Intercommunalités de France association has identified 198 municipalities in France where the leak rate exceeds 50%. Where are they located? And why so many leaks?
Some French municipalities lose more water than they consume. In Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines (Savoie), a resident reported water in his basement on Wednesday March 20. The leak was quickly detected. “For us, it’s wasted water. That’s why we intervene as quickly as possible”, assures the mayor (SE) of the town, Dominique Lazzaro. The work will be carried out from Thursday. In this city, 84% of drinking water is lost to nature.
In 198 communities, more than one liter in two does not reach the tap
It is part of a list of 198 communities where, according to a report, more than one liter in two does not reach the tap. The town hall has undertaken work, but most of the pipes, around a hundred years old, are wearing out quickly. It also has another explanation: the tank, fed by spring water, overflows very often. These overflows are considered leaks and result in a net loss for the municipality. For small towns, like Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines, it is sometimes difficult to manage the drinking water network alone.
In 2026, competence will return to the communities of municipalities and metropolises, in order to pool budgets for the work.
