After weeks of scorching weather, local authorities have taken measures to fight water shortages across the country.
These areas have adopted at least one measure to reduce water use and 86 local orders limiting the use of water are currently in place.
As water levels become critical in many regions, in places such as the Loiret for example, farmers have been instructed to cut back their use of water for agricultural use.
The Gard has banned people from filling up their swimming pool and washing their cars and fountains have been switched off.
The full list of affected departments can be found on a government website managed by the ministry of environment and agriculture called Propluvia (see map below).
Every month a water report is published by regional environmental departments which the local authorities can then use to cross-reference with the alert levels to decide what action needs to be taken.
Drought orders are put in place for a limited period of time and in a limited area.
To ensure these restrictions are enforced, each local authority has police officers called "police de l’eau" who are reponsible for making sure drought orders are observed.
If these orders aren’t followed, police officers can dish out penalties including a fine of €1,500 which can go as high as €3,000 for repeat offences.
Water restriction measures were taken weeks earlier in June, and lasted until the autumn.