Secheresse and crise d'eau

[Blaze]

We've been in a situation "crise" for water for several weeks. The reservoir that feeds our area is very low and there have been warnings that there could be no water left by the end of the year unless we have one hell of a lot of rain.
To this effect, apart from the general advice the water people have given us on saving water, we are to expect cuts/drastic pressure reduction from tomorrow (Monday) until Wednesday. This is apparently to do some sort of works to try to delay the risk of cuts later. I imagine it might involve reducing the water pressure overall which wouldn't be a bad idea anyway - in spite of pressure reducers, we've always felt it could be reduced more from the mains. It could help with leaks in the general system as well.

One aggravating factor with the water crise is that Saint Malo is holding the Route du Rhum, a transatlantic yacht race and they expect to have 1,5 million visitors over the period 20 October to 1st November. Whilst many of these visitors will be there just during the day or evening, all the hotels in the town are full. Are they going to be subject to restrictions ?? Many people are saying the whole thing should have been cancelled because of the water crisis but with the amount of money involved, it's become such a huge commercial affair that it would cost the town a fortune to cancel.

What with that and the rising cost of fuel, we're just waiting for people to take to the streets. Meanwhile, we're filling jerrycans as instructed and I confess to have already bought bottled water well in advance. Fortunately our water butts and cubis are full so at least we can flush the loos !

[Hotrodder]

Interesting. I have been wondering how its going here in 22. I wouldn't mind washing the cars, they get filthy because we live on a main road. Having said that.............the windows could do with a wash as well. The water butt is very low but the hanging baskets are nearly finished anyway so not really a disaster.

[Lori]

Whilst many of these visitors will be there just during the day or evening, all the hotels in the town are full. Are they going to be subject to restrictions ?

I posted a similar question. I'm fairly confident the hotels will not be under the same restrictions as the general population. And they'll still have to do all the washing involved in bedding/towels, etc. They (hotel management) may leave notes encouraging guests to minimize water use, but that will almost certainly fail. I too agree that mass events where huge amounts of water will be required should be cancelled. I suspect that when they aren't and water becomes severely rationed, those that allowed the events to take place will get some serious heat.

Visitors almost certainly will have little idea of the severity of the water problem. And, after Covid, I am convinced that even many who are aware, won't give a shi*.

[Polarengineer]

Here in 23 the crise has been on for months, however, we can water the veggie patch after 8 PM and the dehumidifier supplies enough for the flowers. Washing the car is a no-no (unless at an installation with water recycle). Most annoying is that golf clubs can water the greens at a reduced rate. Definitely not essential in my book. I wonder what controls there are on industry, I have heard that our nearby recreation lake is very very low as it is said to be releasing water down to the nuclear power station some many miles down river.

[Blaze]

I was surprised to see the local racetrack being watered a week ago but a few days later, I read that they were using recycled non-drinking water.
We haven't washed the car for months apart from the windows, lights and mirrors.
The problem with the yacht race is that it's every 4 years and they will have been planning it for years, long before anyone had any idea there could be a water crisis. Even if anyone had misgivings 6 months ago, it would probably already have been too late to cancel without a lot of people incurring huge financial losses. No-one staying in a hotel is going to worry about the water shortage - they'll just say they'd paid for it in the price of the room. The problem is that money can't buy water that isn't there.

I've just looked out of the window ....... and .... yes .... it's raining Well, there were a couple of drops. Sadly it won't change a thing.

[exile]

We too have been en crise for months. We are not even allowed to water the garden at any time of the day or night and it has suffered greatly as a result.
Beans failed to grow at all - crop = 0
Potatoes grew patchily and those that did survive were under constant attack by Colorado Beetle. Crops have been small and very poor.
The greenhouse crops, which we did water from the water butts, have fared badly too with poor crops - I suspect due to temperatures that were just too high*. Just one exception - our Milder Spiral peppers. with doors and windows wide open

* one day I went in and with doors and windows wide open, the electronic thermometer in one greenhouse would not register and the old fashioned max/min liquid thermometer in the other was off scale - with the maximum measured temperature at 55°C

I will need some more Milder Spiral seed for next year but guess what.
Our seed supplier has advised to order early because the dry weather has severely reduced the volume of seeds available for sale and my Milder Spiral are not available at all. (rude words muttered under breathe).

[Blaze]

Our department has been on water restrictions since the end of June. Knowing we were going to be away for most of June either working or on holiday, we decided to limit what we grew. However, the strawberries have been fantastic. We put everything in the shade, gave everything a good soaking and filled saucers etc just before leaving. Fortunately everything survived and that was as much due to the shade we have created in the garden as anything else.

We've saved every drop from the house for years, and have plenty of stored rainwater.

@exile Yes, I've heard that getting some seed for next year could be difficult due to poor harvests. We're now looking at what we can plant here that grows well in a Mediterranean climate ! And I'd love to grow bananas !!!

[Polarengineer]

With the current climate I’m more likely to go bananas

[MAD87]

Time to invest in desalination plants in coastal areas? Won't help us here in Limousin and the cost of fruit & veg this winter will be eye-popping.

[Blaze]

Time to invest in desalination plants in coastal areas?

Veolia already do that here in Brittany. The eco people are not keen for various reasons including the use of fossil fuels and they say the waste brine takes more oxygene out of the sea which is already a problem with rising sea temperatures. It's a bit more technical than that but you get the drift !