France/ "Coming to their rescue": a military camp in the Var region shares its drinking water with six communes

The water connection between the Canjuers military camp (Var) and six neighboring communes was inaugurated on Tuesday, March 19. This initiative, a first for Europe's largest military camp, is designed to prevent the water shortages that occur in the region during periods of drought.

A partnership unprecedented in France. The military camp at Canjuers (Var) will now share its water with six neighboring communes for four years. A pipeline connection has been installed and the partnership was inaugurated on Tuesday March 19, 2024, reports France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur .

The €360,000 project highlights the commitment of military and civilian authorities to tackling the climate crisis. Indeed, droughts causing water shortages have been on the increase in the département in recent years. In 2022, for example, the inhabitants of Ollières were deprived of running water, while the consumption of those in Seillans was limited for an entire period.

"It saved our village

The problem of drought is affecting the whole department, and certain communes here in particular," said Richard Strambio, mayor of Draguignan and president of the Dracénie Provence Verdon agglomeration community, at the inauguration. We have to come to their rescue. We have no choice but to provide our constituents with drinking water. It's our duty.

The agreement was signed in June 2023 by the communes and the Canjuers camp, the largest military camp in Europe, covering 35,000 hectares. According to the mayor of Bargemon, one of the municipalities involved, this innovative partnership between the army and municipalities marks a first in water management in France.

It saved our village in terms of drinking water," says the mayor. Last year, on August 15, the connection was made and within two days we avoided a catastrophe and the distribution of bottles. " A study for a second borehole in the area is currently underway, to anticipate the water needs of the region's communes.

Source: www.ouest-france.fr/