“In 2022, we were not far from a situation of water supply disruption for the inhabitants of the metropolis“, contextualizes Johanna Rolland. While work on the La Roche factory has been underway for around fifteen years, their finalization, recorded this Thursday, should allow the metropolis to cope with an increase in the population in addition to face episodes of drought which are likely to be repeated, and to be even longer. 90 million euros invested, notably by the metropolis of Nantesmust make it possible to secure access to water for all, “a major issue and a strong marker of the department“, points out Michel Ménard, president of the Loire-Atlantique departmental council.
Being able to continue to collect water despite the muddy blockage
To be able to pump more than 31 million cubic meters per year, and particularly in the summer period when the level of the Loire drops, and where the river is faced with a phenomenon of muddy plug – zone of high concentration of sediments – near the estuaries, five new buildings equipped with new sand filters and A disinfection process using ultraviolet lamps was inaugurated. “If it were not for this political investment, the seemingly obvious gesture of opening the tap to have quality water would not betonne Johanna Rolland. The maintenance of networks and the rehabilitation of structures are just as essential.“
In parallel with this investment assumed by the metropolis, the Department and the Water Agency, in order to renovate the Water Authority which supplies water to half of the inhabitants of Loire-Atlantique, the majority is preparing to present a plan of 800 million euros over 15 years, during the next metropolitan council scheduled in a week. “It’s a new dynamic“, attempts the president of Nantes Métropole, before detailing this major plan dedicated to wastewater sanitation.
Towards the creation of water retention basins on the banks of the Erdre
The implementation of this new master plan should, according to the Metropolis, make it possible, among other things, to fight against floods, which have caused a lot of damage in recent hours in Loire-Atlantique. “It will also allow us to continue investments in storage basins.continues Robin Salecroix, vice-president of the metropolis responsible for water and sanitation policy. This new large-scale work will see the light of day in 2026on the banks of the Erdre on the former site of the Ateliers Normand.” Among the objectives, the agglomeration aims to reduce by 80% the flows released into the natural environment, while rethinking the resizing of its wastewater collection networks.
“The other issue is sobriety in our uses“, continues the president of the Loire-Atlantique departmental council. The term was repeated several times before the political choices of offering one of the cheapest waters in France were put forward, in addition to offering social pricing for 6,400 of the poorest households. It is also a way of justifying these very large-scale investments.
