Chirac asks French not to waste water
French President Jacques Chirac urged people today not to waste water as the country copes with a spell of sizzling, arid weather that has forced several regions to impose restrictions to conserve supplies.
Bans and limits have been issued across 51 of France’s 96 regional departments. Residents in some of the hardest-hit areas, in southern and western France, have been barred from watering gardens, filling private swimming pools and cleaning cars outside of professional car washes.
Speaking in the city of La Rochelle, Chirac asked the French to “make an effort to limit abusive and unnecessary use of water”.
Noting that there was no threat to France’s drinking water supply, he said it was essential that water “be treated with a little more respect than it is today”.
Chirac, who was meeting with officials to discuss concerns over the dry spell, asked farmers and businesses to be particularly attentive to the restrictions that apply to them.
