water use restrictions begin in the Var

Months almost without a drop of water. Spring is just coming, and the earth is already terribly thirsty. Breeders are the first affected. In a hamlet in the Alpes-Maritimes, Dominique Girod worries about his herd. “Before, it was only summer, so we were still used to limiting ourselves in water. (…) But now it becomes problematic”, recognizes the sheep breeder. There is 70% less rain compared to last year. The hamlet has no running water and the reserves are almost dry, most of the fountains also in the Var.

Unheard of at this time, in living memory. “It’s always worrying, it’s a more important product than oil. Until now, no one has paid attention to it”, says a local. The only solution for the village: it will be necessary to pump water from the river, the level of which is already very low, and impose restrictions, such as a ban on washing cars or watering lawns. For the moment, two departments are placed in vigilance: the Var and the Ain. But further north, concern also rises near Dijon (Côte-d’Or).