France Aims to Significantly Reduce Water Usage in 12 Industrial Plants

22 Aug, 2023

France Aims to Significantly Reduce Water Usage in 12 Industrial Plants

France is set to target a dozen industrial facilities spanning various sectors like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, energy, metallurgy, construction, semiconductors, and food. These plants will receive customized government assistance to curtail their water consumption, as declared by Environment Minister Christophe Béchu on Monday.

This move comes on the heels of Minister Béchu's visit to Kem One, a prominent French PVC manufacturer known for its water-intensive operations situated in areas facing significant water stress. Béchu's announcement marks the inaugural implementation of President Emmanual Macron's 'water plan,' unveiled in March, with the objective of achieving a 10% reduction in France's overall water consumption by 2030. The roster of sites benefitting from this initiative is anticipated to expand to 50 by September.

To facilitate this effort, relevant business federations will collaborate with governmental bodies to delineate their current water requirements and usage patterns. This collaboration aims to devise well-structured plans to curtail water consumption. As of 2021 data collected by Eaufrance, a specialized public entity, the industrial sector accounted for over 6% of France's total water usage. Notably, water consumption has already witnessed a 17% decline across various domains since 2018, as observed by Eaufrance.

Furthermore, the government is committing a fresh investment of €100 million to bolster a range of innovative initiatives aimed at reducing water consumption. During the announcement, Minister Béchu was joined by the country's ministers overseeing industry and biodiversity. This collective presence underscores the elevated prominence of water-related concerns in ongoing public discourse, driven by historical droughts, an increased frequency of wildfires, and unprecedented heatwaves affecting France and Europe.