Chirac Asks French Not
to Waste Water During Summer Dry Spell
July 19, 2005 — By Associated Press
LA ROCHELLE, France — President
Jacques Chirac urged the French on Monday not to waste water as the
country copes with a spell of sizzling, arid weather that has forced
several regions to impose restrictions to conserve water.
Bans and limits have been issued across 51 of France's 96 regional
departments. Residents in some of the hardest-hit areas, in southern and
western France, have been barred from watering gardens, filling private
swimming pools and cleaning cars outside of professional car washes.
Speaking in the Atlantic coastal city of La Rochelle, Chirac asked the
French to "make an effort to limit abusive and unnecessary use of
water."
Noting that there was no threat to France's drinking water supply,
Chirac said it was essential that water "be treated with a little more
respect than it is today."
Chirac, who was meeting with officials to discuss concerns over the dry
spell, asked farmers and businesses to be particularly attentive to the
restrictions that apply to them.
Three volunteer firefighters died Monday while fighting a blaze in the
central France town of Metz-le-Comte that may have been aggravated by a
dry spell, said Jean-Francois Moniotte of the regional prefecture.
Source: Associated Press |