Key figure of the week: drought and the French

Published on 08/02/23

Drought and the French

Sources: interactive infographic produced by OiEau

Go to our "Key figures" website

87 %

of French people say they will be watching how much water

they consume in 2022

Departments on alert or reinforced alert

on 12 July 2023

50 %

of water consumption saved

thanks to a rainwater recovery system

Droughts are becoming increasingly frequent and intense in France. They have an impact not only on the environment and our daily lives, but also on economic activities and the safety of people and property.

These recurring episodes of water scarcity should lead all consumers to rethink their habits.

The only way to deal with them is to raise individual and collective awareness.

Drought is an episode of water shortage of varying duration, but sufficient to affect the soil and flora. This phenomenon can be cyclical or exceptional, and has a variety of consequences: drying up of watercourses, destabilisation of natural environments and biodiversity, reduction in drinking water supplies, increased risk of fire, etc.

In France and around the world, there are three main types of drought:

Meteorological drought, caused by a lack of rain.
Agricultural drought, caused by a lack of water in the soil, which affects the development of vegetation.
Hydrological drought, when lakes, rivers, streams or groundwater levels are abnormally low.

Faced with these phenomena, it is possible for everyone to take action on a daily basis and help reduce the pressure on available water resources, through simple gestures such as collecting rainwater to water the garden, shortening the time spent in the shower or optimising washing!

OiEau, a non-profit organisation, has been working for over 30 years, in France and around the world to provide access to knowledge for a wide range of private and public stakeholders, as well as the general public.

Our aim?

To help these different stakeholders become aware of the consequences of their water use, while offering them efficient solutions to change their practices in a sustainable way.