The French government is to announce measures this week outlining the future of water recycling. It hopes the plan will resolve recurring water shortages and drought across a country that has been particularly affected by global warming.
The legislation on the reuse of wastewater is due to be unveiled in the coming days and has been eagerly awaited by local authorities.
In particular, it reportedly provides for an easing of of existing legal restrictions regarding the use of water, specifically for irrigation or watering green spaces.
Firstly, the legislation removes regulatory obstacles that previously prevented the reuse of wastewater.
For example, if a local authority wants to recover wastewater, treat it and then use the treated water for green spaces, it had to apply to the Regional Health Agency (ARS).
Simplified and accelerated authorisation
From here on in, the authorisation process will be simplified and speeded up, and if the ARS does not voice opposition to the move, the local authority will be able to start the water recycling work.
Essentially, no news from the health agency is good news.
According to the draft bill that has been circulating in the French media this Wednesday, "the decree eases the administrative burden on project developers once authorisation has been granted by removing the obligation to submit an annual report on the implementation of the authorisation to the Prefect and the CODERST [Classified Installations for Environmental Protection]".
The procedure has also been simplified for farmers wishing to irrigate their fields with wastewater.
Environnement : ce que contient le décret pour faciliter la réutilisation des eaux uséeshttps://t.co/3VimxRvc8h
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) August 23, 2023
End to five-year limit for industry to reuse their water
The new law also states that manufacturers will no longer be subject to a five-year time limit for reusing their water – they will be able to go even further.
According to the decree, this measure is intended to allow "adequate time to absorb [or buffer] the investment required to implement projects."
The geographical range of such authorisations will also be extended to allow the reuse of wastewater across several départements, as well as "the scope of treatment facilities from which the water may be used."
Quality requirements set by inter-ministerial order
Another important aspect of the new law is that an inter-ministerial order will set water quality requirements according to different uses "in order to simplify and speed up the application process."
For example, the water quality criteria will undoubtedly not be the same for irrigating crops or watering a golf course.
The legislation also specifies that the use of rainwater for non-domestic purposes is "unauthorised".
Two new uses for waste water usage have also been tabled: washing roads and hydro-cleaning networks.
Both are the subject of a draft paper submitted in mid-July for the consideration of France's National Health and Food Safety Agency (ANCES), which could be finalised by the end of the 2023.
One thousand wastewater reuse projects by 2027
At the end of the day, the French government wants to develop a thousand wastewater reuse projects by 2027.
France currently reuses only a tiny fraction of its water: less than 1%.
This figure is twenty times higher in Spain and ten times higher in Italy.
As for water from showers or washing machines, another law will allow it to be reused for toilets by the end of the year.
There is no question yet of treating waste water to make it drinkable, but some towns in southern France are already contemplating it.
