These departments are affected by at least one prefectural order limiting certain uses of water.
They are mostly located in the east of the country as well as in Brittany, Pays-de-la-Loire, northern New Aquitaine and Occitanie, according to the government’s drought information site, Propluvia.
By taking the highest level of constraint for each department, 11 are placed on alert, 40 on heightened alert and 39 on crisis. Three other departments are placed in a state of vigilance.
Restrictions on water use, for their part, vary according to the alert threshold, ranging from the prohibition of watering gardens at certain times, to a stoppage of non-priority withdrawals, including withdrawals for agricultural purposes. .
In a state of crisis, only withdrawals allowing the exercise of priority uses are authorized, related to health, civil security, drinking water and sanitation.
To date, only three departments in mainland France are not affected by either a prefectural decree or a state of vigilance.