Drought Tightens Grip on France: Water Restrictions in Nearly 70% of Territory
Following record heat, the French government announces that most of the country is under strict water-saving measures. A crisis meeting has been called for Wednesday.
Following record heat, the French government announces that most of the country is under strict water-saving measures. A crisis meeting has been called for Wednesday.
France is facing an exceptionally severe drought that has forced authorities to impose restrictive water-use measures across nearly 70% of the national territory. The Ministry for Ecological Transition announced on Monday that repeated heatwaves and a lack of rainfall have led to a critical situation with water resources throughout the country.
"As France experiences an exceptionally intense drought period, the effects of climate change continue to worsen the situation with water resources and supplies," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "restrictive measures regarding water use are in effect across nearly 70% of French territory."
According to data from August 9, as many as 99 out of 101 French departments are on some level of alert. This includes the entire European part of France, along with Corsica. Of that number, 67 departments have been placed on the highest level, crisis status, while 21 are on heightened alert.
In areas under crisis status, water is strictly reserved for priority uses: healthcare, civil security, drinking water supply, and sanitation needs. At lower alert levels, bans apply to watering gardens, filling swimming pools, washing cars, and irrigating crops.
Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, warned as early as July 27 that drinking water supply had become problematic in as many as 47 departments. She noted that temporary restrictions on tap water supply were already affecting more than 30,000 people in 80 municipalities. Affected households have had to rely on water from tankers or bottled water.
The national meteorological agency Meteo-France confirmed that July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in France and the third driest July in terms of precipitation, with a national rainfall deficit of nearly 70%.
The French Geological and Mining Research Office (BRGM) announced on Monday that two-thirds of the aquifers, which provide most of the country's drinking water, have fallen below normal levels. The decline is particularly pronounced this year "due to a lack of effective rainfall in July and increased demand for water for various purposes," the BRGM said, pointing to pressure from agriculture and tourism.
Minister Barbut has called an emergency meeting for Wednesday with members of the Committee for Hydrological Forecasting and Monitoring (CASH) and regional prefects. The aim is to get an updated overview of the hydrological situation across the country and assess the consequences for various water uses, including the impact of drought on flora and fauna.
The meeting comes as France and large parts of Europe brace for a new heatwave. Meteo-France warns that temperatures in the southeast of the country could reach up to 35°C, with the heat expected to spread to the rest of the country during the week.
