Some claim that the water war has started with France.

Photo: Latin Press

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, presented a plan with a horizon of 2030 for the saving and efficient use of water, after a winter with an unprecedented drought and in the face of climate change.

Beyond the urgency and the short term, the heart of the strategy of around 50 measures is fundamentally sobriety and long-term effectiveness, explained the president in the southeast alpine town of Savines-le-Lac.

One of the initiative's priorities is saving 10 percent of the water currently consumed in all sectors, from industry and agriculture to tourism, culture, and residential areas.

To do this, Macron outlined lines of work such as the fight against leaks of the precious resource, the reuse of wastewater, the transformation of the agricultural model and the pricing of consumption in different areas.

According to the head of state, among the actions a tool similar to the "energy Ecowatt" stands out, implemented in the face of the cold months to avoid blackouts, aimed at general knowledge of the prevailing situation in each place and the contribution of individual responsibility before the necessary savings.

France experienced an unprecedented drought during the winter, after 32 consecutive days without significant rainfall, which prevented the reconstitution of the groundwater table to the usual level.

Regarding pricing, he announced that it will be progressive, without a foreseeable increase in the cost of water for the consumption of a reasonable number of cubic meters, but beyond that, the price will increase.

The plan is accompanied by financing, with an additional 500 million euros per year for agencies linked to water management and 35 million for overseas territories, among other items.

(With information from Prensa Latina)