The drought committee held this Tuesday in Pau has indeed led to new restrictive measures, both for …
The drought committee held this Tuesday in Pau has indeed led to new restrictive measures, both for the use of drinking water, as for levies, which are rather the prerogative of professionals (farmers, companies, etc.)
Critical situation in the Basque Country
Regarding drinking water, all the Basque municipalities are now placed on alert, from this Friday, August 15, 6 p.m. Until then, only the souletine municipalities were affected by this classification. This situation therefore results in restriction measures for individuals, businesses or communities.
The watering of lawns, sports, golf courses, vegetable gardens, massifs are prohibited from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For sports fields, watering is also limited twice a week. Note however that if this watering is carried out from a reserve of water, it becomes authorized.
Also prohibits the washing of vehicles in individuals while it is authorized only with high-pressure equipment or a water recycling system for professionals. No cleaning either of the facades, roofs or filling of swimming pools, except in the case of “sanitary imperative”. No food either of public fountains.
Measures that do not yet concern the Bearn municipalities since the latter are still at the vigilance stage, the level preceding the alert. However, the prefecture nevertheless calls for civics of users in order to “adopt economical water gestures.” The fact remains that if the flows continue to drop, additional restrictions cannot be excluded.
Restriction of samples
In terms of rivers, no sample is now authorized in the Saleys which joins the unenviable level of the so -called “in crisis” rivers that are already the ouster of woods, ousse, soust, bayse, escou, miel, lausset and joyful.
The Nive, the Maritime Adour, the Nivelle, the Bidassoa pass, in “reinforced alert” while the Gave d’Oloron, the Bidouze (upstream) and the Luy de Béarn are now “on alert”.
These two stages authorize limited and fractional samples. As for the Luy de Béarn (downstream) and the Luy de France, in the north of Béarn, they join the Gave de Pau in the rivers classified in “vigilance”, a status which does not yet trigger the restrictions.
The fact remains that, ultimately, it is now all of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques basins who are affected by drought, as evidenced by the map disseminated by the prefecture.