France water restrictions: Five questions answered

France’s summer drought woes continue, with 94 mainland France departments now facing alerts or restrictions over water consumption. See our map here for each department's status as at today, July 21. 

Minister for Ecological Transition Monique Barbut called the situation ‘exceptional’ and ‘highly concerning’ in a crisis meeting last week. 

She cited the droughts had appeared early despite average spring rainfall in France, and that around a quarter of streams had already run dry. 

The Connexion looks at five questions received from readers on the topic.

1: Why do restrictions keep changing? How can I find out about the situation in my area?

Water restrictions can be confusing to keep track of for a number of reasons. 

One key factor is that the information given in media reports over the situation dwells on the number of departments facing warnings or restrictions, which can give the impression that restrictions are the same across the entire area. 

This is not always the case. Media outlets use this figure to highlight the severity of the current situation, but restrictions themselves are given at a communal level. In some cases, the limits can apply across an entire department equally. 

Implementing restrictions at a communal level ensures that they match levels of the water basin a commune receives its supply from, and do not match departmental or even communal borders.

It also explains why one commune may be facing very strict limits on water usage, while a commune only a few kilometres away in the same department is mostly unaffected. 

Another point of confusion is that restriction levels do not correspond to a blanket set of rules. Communes on the same restriction level (alerte, alerte renforcée or crise) often have different limits on water usage between them. 

There is also a preliminary level, vigilance, where no restrictions are in place but people are warned to conserve water through careful usage.

This tiered system allows local authorities to match restrictions best to the local situation. 

For example, a commune with a high number of swimming pools but relatively few big gardens may implement pool restrictions quicker but have less worry over people watering plants. 

Conversely, a commune in the north where not many people own pools but most have gardens for growing or plants will seek to limit water usage in gardens quicker, as this would conserve more water. 

The government’s VigiEau website is updated daily with new restrictions based on prefectural and communal arrêtés. You can see how to use the website, and more about restriction levels in our article here. 

VigiEau offers both an interactive map and a search function to find specific rules in your commune via your postcode/address. 

The list of restrictions is updated based on local rules, and is the most up to date information easily available. It is also specific to the commune itself, which as explained is important when rules can differ drastically. 

Your mairie and also local prefectures will also often publish updates on their websites.

2: Can I use water from my well? 

Water usage restrictions are further complicated by the fact that there are several water sources – and uses – throughout the summer. 

Usage restrictions are different for each water source:

• tap water, eau potable, which comes mostly from France’s underground aquifers

• River water, cours d’eau/rivières, sourced from rivers and streams

• Well water, puits/forages, coming from underground wells bored in gardens, farms, etc 

This allows restrictions to better match the local situation, where for example rivers may have run low but aquifers are still at average levels for the season, or if well water is less impacted, etc.

It explains why the number of departments facing ‘water restrictions’ in media articles are higher than those strictly facing tap water limits. 

In addition, restrictions apply differently based on the way the water is being used. There are four main categories – resident (particulier), business (professional), local authority (collectivité) and farmer/agricultural worker (exploitation agricole). 

Again, this is where VigiEau is useful, as it allows users to filter restrictions based on both water source and usage.

Currently, restrictions on well-water are less severe than tap water, although many departments still have limits in place. 

Official advice is to use VigiEau to ensure you are not breaking well-water restrictions. 

3: Is topping up or filling up my pool banned because of the drought? 

Limits on filling up pools are part of water restrictions during drought periods, but it is not so straightforward.

There is usually a difference in restrictions between filling an empty swimming pool with water (remplissage) and topping up existing water levels (mise à niveau). 

In most cases, remplissage is banned as soon as alerte restrictions come into place, but sometimes are not enforced until the alerte renforcée level. 

If a new pool is being filled for the first time, restrictions are more lenient, and it is usually not until the crise level that this is prohibited. This is because leaving a new pool empty can be a health, safety, or ecological hazard. However, you generally need to show proof of works starting before a drought to benefit. 

Limits on topping up a pool may not come in until heightened restrictions (usually alerte renforcée).

Restrictions generally apply regardless of how the water is used (directly from the hose, via a water truck using water from a different commune, etc).

Note there can be certain exceptions to any of these rules, such as filling up pools for security reasons (to prevent alarms going off or to allow pool covers to work correctly etc) or to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in stagnant water.

Rainwater is also usually allowed for topping up pools, collected in a cistern or from the roof (that meets legal standards) and then added.

General restrictions are listed on the VigiEau website but do not always show the difference between filling / topping up the pool.

For this, you can confirm the exact regulations for pools with the local mairie, including if there are any extenuating circumstances.

The use of well or river water to fill your pool is sometimes possible as an alternative – providing there are no restrictions on these water sources in your commune – but is usually not advised. 

Both sources can be high in minerals, and would require chemical treatment to be used safely in a pool. 

River water can be high in algae, dirt, and metal – requiring further treatment – and there may be year-round restrictions on using it for pools for safety reasons.

4: Is rainwater harvesting impacted by restrictions? 

Unlike the three main sources listed above, collected rainwater is not subject to restrictions during periods of drought. 

As long as the rainwater collection system is not connected to the public network it is not impacted, and can be used for cleaning cars, watering plants, etc. If it is connected to the mains, restrictions will apply.

It can also be used for cleaning inside the home and toilet water, provided it is not collected from a lead or asbestos roof (in which case it cannot be used inside the home). 

However, there are year-round rules that prevent rainwater being used for drinking, cooking, personal hygiene (baths, showers, taps), or in dishwashers. It may be used in washing machines only if the water has been disinfected first. 

There are several other things to consider if planning to collect rainwater at your property in France, including declarations to the mairie. Read our article here for more information, and here for maintenance rules.

5: Are these rules really being checked and penalties enforced? 

There are various penalties in place for breaking restrictions, usually with a fine attached. 

The fine itself varies depending on the infraction in question, but usually results in a fifth class fine of €1,500 or €3,000 for repeat offenders. 

Authorities can check if rules are being followed, with this responsibility mostly falling on the Office français de la biodiversité (OFB, French environmental police) although workers for the Directions Départementales des Territoires (DDT) also carry out checks. 

Patrols for both groups look for tell-tale signs that rules are not being followed, such as a lawn significantly greener than others in the commune, a pool that is topped up more than neighbouring ones, a clean car when all others are dirty, etc. 

They can also patrol areas or investigate neighbour tip-offs about behaviour (neighbours can and do call local OFB/DDT branches or their mairie with information). 

However, these groups are stretched in their resources and are also looking for major infractions – such as by companies or farmers – who can use significantly more water than a household. Daily patrols in small, rural communes are unlikely. 

Even if authorities do catch people breaking restrictions, they are usually more likely to engage in dialogue and inform them of the rules rather than immediately issue a fine. 

MPs are currently debating a new farming law that looks to increase fines for those breaking restrictions, calling the current penalties ineffective, but this is principally focused on farmers.