Water consumption: legislative proposals to reduce the bill

The LFI-Nupes parliamentary group had a bill examined by the Sustainable Development Committee on Tuesday 15 November. This text will potentially be put to the test of the hemicycle on Thursday, November 24, as reported by Capital. This bill aims to materialize the vision of a UN resolution passed by France in 2010. The resolution in question recognizes the right to drinking water and sanitation as an essential human right.

The dual objective of such a measure would be to encourage network users to reduce their water consumption as much as possible while guaranteeing a minimum free access. This would require higher water pricing beyond the consumption threshold of a volume made available free of charge. In 2020, the average consumption of French people was 149 liters of water daily. Gabriel Amard, rebellious Rhône deputy behind the bill, based himself on data from the World Health Organization to set the quantity of water deemed necessary to meet the needs of people at 50 liters a day. ‘a person.

In terms of funding, this project would involve mineral and spring water bottling companies. The money would be taken from them in the form of a tax which would then be paid directly to the water agencies, local public bodies managing water resources. In addition to this first source of funds, progressive pricing would be the key to financing this system. Indeed, users will therefore also have to contribute out of pocket.

However, the approach of this project is social, democratic, responsible and above all fair. The largest financial contributions to this public service would therefore be billed to those who consume excessively. Filling your swimming pool, for example, would constitute “misuse of water” resulting in a rate at the higher rate. Certain limits concerning this pricing are provided for: in particular, the fact that the financial burden linked to the use of running water may in no case exceed 3% of the income of a household, whatever it may be.

Find below the 5 areas of free access related to water provided for by this bill.