Since Tuesday evening, the number of municipalities imposing water restrictions has increased to sixteen. Those of Bertogne, Gouvy and Tellin have indeed been added to the thirteen Walloon municipalities where measures had already been introduced. Those of Jalhay, Vielsalm, Beauraing and Houffalize are under surveillance. And the forecasts made by the IRM are hardly optimistic. “Our calculations point to major concerns for the coming weeks.fears Pascal Mormal, meteorologist at the IRM. It has hardly rained since July 1 and the period from early July to August 14 is the driest since 1911! Forecasts through August 20 point to no improvement, although a few thunderstorms could break out next week. Longer-term models indicate that the beginning of the meteorological autumn (Editor’s note: September 1) should be warm and dry. It’s starting to get very problematic.”
At present, the Walloon Minister for the Environment, Celine Tellier, is working on a drought plan which should be presented to parliamentarians in September.
In the meantime, the regional crisis center of Wallonia leaves the mayors free to decide whether or not to introduce restrictive measures. This leads to comical situations where a citizen of Libramont can no longer water his garden while his neighbor, living in Neufchâteau, can happily fill his swimming pool.
Why such differences in treatment? Quite simply because the first municipality has its own water distribution network, with smaller reserves than the second, served by the SWDE, and whose water can be pumped several tens of kilometers further. “We are not in favor of restrictions taken across Walloniaconfide in substance Didier Gilkinet and Christian Baijot, mayor of Stoumont and alderman of Works in Libin, two municipalities where temporary restrictions have been issued. Because the Region could not take into consideration the specificities of each municipality. Why generalize and impose water restrictions in a municipality that does not lack it?
According to the IRM, the majority of Wallonia and Brussels will go into a state of extreme drought within ten days. The thirty or so Walloon municipalities with their own distribution network could therefore run out of water and impose restrictions. Mainly those that do not have a water supply system from the SWDE network.
Last night, the drought unit issued a message of caution regarding the use of water. “The current low flows observed throughout Wallonia favor the concentration of pollutants, which can lead to the proliferation of algae and pathogenic bacteria. Significant vigilance and caution must therefore be exercised, in particular during recreational activities in rivers, streams and canals, as well as for watering animals.”
YN and HST