Meurthe-et-Moselle Drought Alert Leads to Stricter Water Restrictions

The prefect of Meurthe-et-Moselle, Yves Séguy, placed the Moselle‑upstream and Meurthe area under a drought alert on 26 June 2026 after unusually hot, dry conditions lowered river flows and groundwater levels. A prefectural order restricts water use for all sectors, banning vehicle washing outside stations, filling of private and public pools except for technical or health reasons, cleaning of outdoor surfaces except by professional services, and watering of lawns, gardens, public green spaces and sports fields between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Later, the prefect visited Ville‑au‑Val, where the Natagne river ran dry, and announced that the restrictions would be tightened before the weekend. The upgraded alert will impose stricter limits on irrigation and increase inspection frequency, with heightened vigilance on fireworks due to fire risk. The drought is already affecting agriculture, biodiversity and industry: livestock are being watered from tankers, farms face early harvests, fish die from low‑oxygen water, and factories must adapt cooling processes to reduced water availability.