France Restricts Water Use in Almost All Regions Amid Drought – Minister

Paris- Restrictions on the use of water have been introduced in almost all regions of France amid a record drought in July, Minister of Agriculture and Food Marc Fesneau said on Wednesday.

“The emergency plan includes different restrictions on the use of water in 89 of 101 departments in France. Some of them are comprehensive, some are partial: depending on the water flow capacity and the groundwater level​​​. At the moment we have an urgent need to control the amount of water we have,” Fesneau said on air of the RTL radio station.

The minister added that it is necessary to control possible damage to agricultural sector, especially grain crops and livestock.

France, like many other European countries, has been experiencing abnormally hot weather this summer.

In Paris last Tuesday, the maximum temperature reached 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit). In the southwestern Gironde department, two large wildfires broke out due to the heat, destroying more than 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of forests.

“In July, on average, only eight millimeters of rainfall were registered across the country, which represents a deficit of about 85% compared to the norm,” weather forecaster Patrick Galois told LCI news channel.

The previous drought record was registered in France in 2020.