Drought water restrictions imposed in Alpes-Maritimes

The region has put six of its nine main water sources (such as rivers and streams) on alert level 3 - the most serious level but one - and issued a statement limiting resident water use in the area.

According to the rules, it is forbidden to:

• Water lawns
• Water the grass of sports stadiums and floral spaces, or tree-growing spaces, or vegetable gardens, between the hours of 8-20h
• Wash cars outside of official car wash stations
• Wash streets or pavements
• Wash boat hulls or boat bridges

Any pool bigger than 10m3 requires written permission from the Mairie (town hall) to be filled, and golf clubs are being asked not to water their fairways at any time and reduce their water consumption by 60%.

Farmers are banned from watering their crops between 8-20h except for vegetable farming, and even firefighters have seen their authorised level of water drop by 50%.

The drought restrictions come soon after repeated canicule (heatwave) warnings across much of the country.