The dam lake of Nisramont, a Belgian village in the municipality of La Roche-en-Ardenne in the province of Luxembourg, has reached a historically low level. The lake supplies drinking water to 12 municipalities in the region. They passed, this weekend, in code orange which obliges the inhabitants to limit their water consumption.
Olivier, a local resident, came to see the state of the dam. The finding is worrying. “It’s impressive, because you wonder what’s going on. Normally, water is discharged all the time and it is really big waves and ici il there is nothing at all“, he explains.
In 2015, the water was flowing. But today there is not a drop. Greenery even had time to grow on the walls.
“We we are in the presence of a reservoir of 3 million meters cubes. At a height of 14 meters, the level is descended 2 meters, so the tank is struggling to find a situation. We haven’t seen this since 1976“, specifies Guy GilloteauxMayor of La Roche-en-Ardenne.
This situation is worrying, because this reservoir supplies between 60,000 and 70,000 people in the north of the province. of Luxembourg. In tourist season, this can reach 150,000 people.
Elsie, resident of Lokerencame to spend the weekend with her husband. “We went around the dam and we saw that the water was very low. This is spectacular“, notes the tourist.
The Walloon Water Company (SWDE) monitors the situation closely and recalls that the primary function of the dam Nisramont was to regulate the level of theOurthe. Finally, the SWDE began to draw water from it, as the locally installed wells were no longer sufficient.
“The water that comes from the water treatment plant of the dam of Nisramontthe station of the SWDEis already an emergency or back-up solution“, details the spokesperson for the Walloon Water Company. “Indeed, if we come to a lack of water at the dam of Nisramontto be il there is no immediate alternative.“
Twelve municipalities go “in code orange”
Twelve municipalities supplied by the Nisramont dam have been called upon by the Walloon Water Company (SWDE) to moderate their water consumption, while “the lake level is historically low“, indicates Sunday the spokesman of the SWDE, Benoît Moulin.
SWDE sent a letter to the municipalities of Bastogne, Bertogne, Fauvillers, Houffalize, La Roche, Marche-en-Famenne, Martelange, Neufchâteau, Rendeux, Sainte-Ode, Vaux-sur-Sûre and Wellin, asking them to limit their consumption. of water. “Code orange is a recommendation, not a constraint. This is an attitude of caution“, specifies Benoît Moulin.
For residents, this means avoiding non-essential uses of tap water, such as watering lawns and plants, washing cars, filling swimming pools, etc. In the 12 municipalities concerned, the orange code will remain in effect until further notice.
The SDWE expects to provide an update at the end of next week.
The cities concerned
Orders restricting water use have been issued in 23 municipalities. Stoumont, Burg ReulandRochefort, Durbuy, Libin, LibramontChimay, Theux, Bouillon, Leglise, Habay, Pepinster, Vresse-sur-Semois, Tellin, Bertogne, Tenneville, Gouvy, Done, Hotton, Amblève, Bullange, Bütgenbach and Saint-Hubert have issued orders restricting the use of water. You are asked not to fill your swimming pool, wash your car or water your garden. 16 other municipalities are also subject to special monitoring.
16 others are subject to special monitoring by the SWDE (Company Walloon water)to know Jalhay, Vielsalm, HouffalizeBastogne, Bertogne, Bullange, Fauvillers, Martelange, Neufchateau, Vaux-sur-Sure, Saint-Ode, WellinMarche-en-Famenne, RenderThe Roche-en-Ardenne and Beauraing, indicates the drought expertise cell of the Walloon region, Friday evening, after meeting.
Since the previous meeting on August 25, rainfall in Wallonia has been minimal. The situation therefore remains similar with regard to the dryness index of the MRI compared to last week, i.e. an extremely dry diet.
For the next 7 days, the pattern of moderate showers which is announced – until 10 liters from the beginning of next week – will have little influence on the drought situation, further specifies the unit in a press release. Restriction measures in the face of drought remain broadly the same.
Regarding fishing, the ban measures that were in effect until September 4 have been extended until September 18.
Swimming is prohibited at Falemprise due to cyanobacteria and Pont-a-Lesse. The other official bathing areas are open. Swimming is not recommended outside these official areas.
The next meeting of the drought expertise unit will take place on Thursday 8 September at 1:30 p.m.