The water restrictions put in place by the Tarn-et-Garonne prefecture at the beginning of June 2023 have just been lifted. If the numerous rains of the last few days have alleviated the drought, vigilance is still required.
In the Tarn-et-Garonne, the restrictions are lifted … for the moment. Recent rains and heavy thunderstorms have temporarily boosted the flow of rivers.
Faced with the first signs of drought, the prefecture of the department had taken at the beginning of the month, on June 8, 2023, a stop limiting water withdrawals from the natural environment. It was then forbidden for companies and farmers to take water two days a week, especially in the tributaries of the Tarn and the Garonne.
On the side of individuals and municipalities, prohibition to water their vegetable garden, their lawn or wash their car, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Last year, the summer drought was so severe that 62 towns in Tarn-et-Garonne were declared in a state of natural disaster. The restrictions had been put in place at the end of July. No car washing or pool filling. The fountains no longer flowed and the streets were not washed.
If this year’s less severe restrictions have been lifted today, the prefecture continues to advocate vigilance and sobriety. The groundwater situation remains worrying.
Aveyron experiences strong disparities in terms of drought. The prefecture notes that the majority of
territory is experiencing a rather favorable situation thanks to the regular rainfall of the last few months. but the south is strongly impacted by a rainfall deficit (+50%).
“This situation leads to strengthening the restriction measures, for uses by withdrawal from the
natural environment in certain sectors”mention the services of the State which encourages the population to consult the restrictions in town hall or on son site.
The prefecture recalls that all owners of water reservoirs located in dams or on the diversion of watercourses must respect a reserved flow. “It is a question of letting transit at all times a minimum biological flow necessary for biological life in the watercourse, even if no restriction measure is in force in the area concerned”.
In order to ensure compliance with these measures, the controls of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) and the gendarmerie will be reinforced. The prefecture of Aveyron also mentions that if no measure limiting the uses related to drinking water is in force, sobriety remains in order. “Everyone is called upon to make moderate and reasoned use of water, whether it comes from the natural environment or from the tap.
In the Lot, the situation of the vast majority of watercourses prompted the prefect to relax the limitation measures. Forecasts influenced this decision. “Météo France announces a weekend without precipitation and temperatures close to 29°C, explains his press release. The next weekend will be cooler, with cloudy periods sometimes carrying showers. A return to dry and warm weather is announced for the beginning of the following week.
The lifting of restrictions will apply from Saturday July 1, 2023 at 8 a.m. The prefectural decree establishing the measures applicable to withdrawals from watercourses and their accompanying aquifers can be consulted in the town halls concerned and on the prefecture website. With regard to the Tournefeuille river, the alert is reinforced.
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