It’s been announced this afternoon that restrictions on the use of water are now in place across the Haute Savoie region following a prolonged period of warm weather. The river Dranse is certainly looking rather empty today!
Issued by the Marie de Morzine-Avoriaz today on behalf the the Haute Savoie prefecture, the restriction includes the following information:
“To enable everyone (authorities, farmers, individuals, companies …) to prepare for the implementation of these measures, which will take effect Wednesday, July 15, 2015. They may be adjusted during the summer, if necessary, depending on developments in the water table and rivers.
The restrictions of this alert are as follows:
- The use of water for washing vehicles is prohibited, except for vehicles with a regulatory or technical obligation and for security-related agencies;
- The filling of private swimming pools is prohibited. This provision does not apply to swimming pools in masonry construction. The additional filling of swimming pools is allowed from 8pm to 8am;
- Watering lawns, roundabouts, public and private green areas, flower gardens, sports areas of any kind is forbidden from 8 am to 8pm (flower beds and vegetable gardens are not affected);
- Watering stadiums and golf courses is prohibited from 8am to 8pm (a sampling register must be completed);
- Industrial and commercial activities should be limited to the minimum necessary water consumption;
- The operators of the facilities subject to authorisation under the ICPE should refer to possible obligations in their stopped operating and the warning threshold applicable;
- Crop irrigation is prohibited from 10am to 6pm. This prohibition does not apply to livestock watering, irrigation of orchards, vegetable and flower crops and nurseries. Irrigation from reservoirs formed in winter is still allowed, and the direct use of rainwater recovered.
These measures do not apply in the context of public security (fight against fire in particular). On this point, the prefecture of the Haute-Savoie sent to all the mayors of the department a circular on Fire on the occasion of the fireworks of the national holiday.”
It’s less than 2 months since the Haute Savoie prefecture issued a severe weather warning after flooding in Morzine! Yet local rafting companies such as 7 Aventures and Frogs Rafting are unaffected as they operate on the Dranse below the hydro-electric dam, which provides enough water for activities to continue.
