France imposes sweeping water restrictions as drought worsens

Facing a prolonged deficit in rainfall and record‑high temperatures, French prefectures have placed several departments under water‑conservation alerts. In the Eure department, Prefect Xavier Delarue ordered bans on garden watering between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., private car washing and filling private pools over one cubic metre. Similar vigilance measures were declared in Var, urging residents, municipalities and industry to cut non‑essential water use, while the Oise department entered a vigilance stage after river levels fell, prompting fishermen such as Quentin Deroubaix to note a five‑centimetre drop in the Thérain River. A national analysis shows that 84 departments have already imposed restrictions on drinking‑water supplies, and 92 of France’s 101 departments are now subject to drought‑related orders. The measures aim to preserve potable water, protect public health, maintain fire‑fighting capacity and safeguard aquatic ecosystems as the summer progresses.