“We are going to modify the rules for the use of treated wastewater” and “rainwater”, says Christophe Béchu

“We are going to modify the rules for the use of treated wastewater”, said Tuesday March 14 on France Bleu Azur the Minister for Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, while the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM) alerted Monday March 13 to the unsatisfactory situation of groundwater in France. He denounces the “delay” taken by France in this area: “We are at less than 1% of wastewater reuse when the Italians are at 10% and the Spaniards at almost 20%”.

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The Minister for the Ecological Transition indicates that modifications are also being considered “for rainwater and gray water” in order to “to allow, in real estate construction operations, that we are not obliged to put drinking water in the toilets when the water from the machine could very well be used”. Christophe Béchu therefore recommends “immersing yourself in this fight against waste at all levels”.

These decisions will be part of the government’s future plan to improve water management which is to be published in the coming days. A plan deemed necessary in the face of the drought that is beating down on France. “The rains that will fall after mid-April, if there are any, will benefit the vegetation, but not the groundwater recharge” groundwater, laments the Minister for Ecological Transition. The situation is not yet settled, according to Christophe Béchu who affirms that he “Overall we have three to four weeks left during which we can hope for precipitation to reverse the trend a little”.

“The indicators are all red”adds the Minister for the Ecological Transition who maintains that a “half a dozen departments are already in restrictive situations” some water. The Minister mentions “the drought of summer 2022”THE “catastrophic month of February with nearly 87% rainfall deficit”. To avoid finding ourselves in the same situation as last summer, during which “700 municipalities have been deprived of drinking water”Christophe Béchu promises shares of “prevention”. He also assures that the government will “continue to take restriction decisions to avoid having a water war with uses that would become extremely complex during the coming summer”.