Residents of Saint-Exupéry District Petition for Relief from Nuisances of Rainwater Retention Basin

The inhabitants of the Saint-Exupéry district in Thionville are very upset. In 2019, following violent storms, rainwater had invaded the cellars. “I had a small lake in front of my front door,” recalls Yves, a local resident living at the corner of Avenue Saint-Exupéry and Chemin des Vergers. Others, less fortunate, had their feet squarely in the water. A request was then made to the Portes de France-Thionville urban community (CAPFT) for a retention basin to be built in such a way as to trap the overflow. Since then, the water has flowed under the bridges or rather in the storm reservoirs to the satisfaction of the inhabitants of the district who no longer fear a sudden rise in water. “No one questions the usefulness of this basin, but we weren’t expecting a vulgar open-air hole,” says Eric, another neighbour.

” Cheap “

Because, and this is where the shoe pinches, the reservoir – a large hole lined with a black tarpaulin – located between the Jean-Pierre-Adams gymnasium and the Charles-Brennus stadium, generates a good number of nuisances that the inhabitants of the district denounce in a petition submitted to Pierre Cuny, mayor of Thionville and president of the CAPFT, on November 15, 2022. All have the feeling that the equipment which they consider to be “a wart” has been made “at a discount”. Jean-Claude is by far the most upset. His house located directly opposite the basin is no longer the haven of peace he once knew and for good reason: “We are invaded by mosquitoes and bad smells”. Patrick who lives just behind, rue Rémy-Kail, confirms: “A black tarpaulin, when there is stagnant water on it, it smells bad, especially in summer” Pascal, like Jean-Claude, has a bird’s eye view on the basin. “We can no longer open the windows because there are so many mosquitoes”.

“Temporary that lasts”

While road works have recently taken place on avenue Saint-Exupéry, the twenty-three petitioners still do not understand why no lasting solution has been put forward by the CAPFT. “We have the impression that it’s temporary that lasts”, slips Yves who regrets the time when he had a “beautiful green space with trees” in front of his home. For its part, the Agglo, already requested in 2022 (read RL of June 28, 2022) on this subject, had explained by the voice of its Sanitation manager that the basin being above drinking water pumping wells, it It was not possible for rainwater to penetrate the ground at this place, hence the presence of this black waterproof tarpaulin. Local residents would like the basin to be covered and vegetated “as is done elsewhere”. “We are told about global warming and the need to recreate green spaces, that’s what we would like here,” storms Jean-Claude.