Economic policies and rainwater harvesting - the case of France

Résumé du document

Rainwater harvesting consists of the implementation of systems to store rainwater for collective or individual reuse. The complexity of the system can vary depending on the quality of the water that is sought (from drinkable to clean water). Type of uses can theoretically go from watering of plants and grass, flushing toilets and feeding of washing machines, watering of roads and various soils, etc. To provide a framework for responsible collection and reutilization of rainwater as well as encourage individuals and companies to make the initial investment, a comprehensive legislation setting up rules and incentives for rainwater collection and reutilization was first adopted in France in 2007. What is the current situation of rainwater harvesting in France? Are the financial incentives adapted?

Extraits

[...] Key measures consist in: - the prohibition to connect the rainwater network to public drinkable water supply network; - the display of drinkable water” signs with explicit pictograms on collection points; - the prohibition to have both drinkable and rainwater collection points in the same room so that people don't mistake them; - the storage at the atmospheric pressure, uses of materials inert to rainwater; - the existence of an overflow system to evacuate the excess of water in case of heavy rain and thereby avoid any risk of flooding; - biannual checking of rainwater harvesting system, including cleanliness, signs, disconnecting of water supply networks, and annual cleaning of filters and storage tanks. Incentives for rainwater harvesting and reutilization Following the law defining the framework for rainwater reutilization, the legal framework was also adapted to put in place financial incentives to encourage rainwater harvesting and reuse. It is aimed at encouraging the initial investment which is rather costly (between 3500€ to 8000€). [...]

[...] Although local incentives are still quite rare and very heterogeneous, they are expected to develop given the stress on water resources in some southern regions of France where people tend to have higher needs for outdoor like watering of their gardens or other green spaces! For example the city of Lille, in the framework of the Agenda 21, provides an additional per m3 of installation for installation of a capacity of up to 5m3. The rainwater harvesting can help save significant amount of drinkable water consumed and therefore financial savings. [...]

[...] To provide a framework for responsible collective and reutilization of rainwater as well as encourage individuals and companies to make the initial investment, a comprehensive legislation setting up rules and incentives for rainwater collective and reutilization has been first adopted in France in 2007. What is the current situation of rainwater harvesting in France? Are the financial incentives adapted? A restrictive regulatory framework guided by the precaution principle The existence of a regulatory framework for rainwater collection and utilization in France is recent: it dates back from the late 2000s. [...]

[...] Taylor Charmaine R. [...]

[...] Although it authorizes the reutilization of rainwater, it also limits it under the name of the precaution principle given potential public health risks involved. In France, only the uses which don't require the water to be drinkable are legal, which means that rainwater cannot be used as drinking water, for baths and showers, or for dishwashers. Furthermore, a dual water network is required so that rainwater and water from the water utility services do not mix, and so that rainwater does not penetrate into the city water network. [...]