Drought

Are you affected by water restrictions?

Publié le 01 juillet 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

With climate change, droughts are becoming more frequent and begin earlier in the year. To cope with these periods of insufficient water resources, prefects can take temporary measures to limit or suspend certain uses of water for individuals and professionals alike. Service-Public.fr tells you how to stay informed about the situation in your territory.

A drought episode is characterized by a lack of water that lasts a long or short time, but is sufficient for the soil and flora to be affected. This has a variety of consequences, including:

  • drying up of waterways;
  • increased risk of fire;
  • a lack of drinking water supply.

When such an event occurs, prefects may introduce exceptional, gradual and temporary measures to limit or suspend non-priority water uses for individuals and professionals. Four severity levels determine the type of measures that are in place.

  • Vigilance: individuals and professionals are encouraged to conserve water (this is a level of awareness, no restrictions are put in place).
  • Alert: restrictions are put in place, in particular, on watering, filling and emptying swimming pools, washing vehicles and irrigation of crops.
  • Enhanced Alert: activities with consequences for aquatic environments are banned; tightened restrictions are put in place for watering, filling and emptying swimming pools, as well as for washing vehicles and irrigating crops.
  • Crisis: water can only be withdrawn for priority uses (health, drinking water, civil security, etc.). Water abstractions are prohibited for agriculture (totally or partially), for many domestic uses (washing your vehicle at home or at a professional, filling or upgrading your private pool, etc.) and for public spaces.

FYI  

For individuals, the fine for non-compliance with water restrictions can be up to €1,500, and EUR 3 000 in the event of a repeat offense.

How do I know if water restrictions are in place in your municipality?

The VigiEau platform allows you to see water use restrictions decided by your department’s prefect, by entering your address, allowing your geolocation or clicking on a map to indicate the location you are looking for information. You can subscribe to the platform’s e-mail alert system to be notified as restrictions on your territory change.

The Water Restriction Orders are also published on the website of the State services of your department (you can access this website by writing in a search engine “State services + the name of your department”).

These decrees are also sent to the mayor of each municipality concerned for an informative posting.

Please note

On the VigiEau website, you can also find a list of actions to reduce your daily water consumption, for example:

  • Installing a low-cost shower in your bathroom.
  • Reuse rainwater to water your garden.
  • placing water foamers on your taps.

The VigiEau platform was set up in 2023 by the government, and designed by the teams of Météo-France.

Agenda