Bad weather: you have to boil the water before drinking it in several towns in Saint-Étienne Métropole

Following recent bad weather, the quality of drinking water risks deteriorating in certain municipalities of Saint-2tienne Métropole on Friday evening.

This concerns Saint-Paul-en-Jarez, La Grand-Croix, Cellieu, Chagnon, Saint-Chamond, L’Horme, Genilac, Lorette, Doizieux, Farnay, la Terrasse sur Dorlay, Saint-Martin, Saint-Joseph and Rive- de-Gier. Or 88,000 inhabitants.

The city is asking residents to boil water 10 minutes before consuming it starting this Friday and until further notice.

“This is a precautionary measure taken in consultation with the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and the companies which supply the population. It is necessary because one of the four interconnected water treatment stations of Gier is out of order, while another is under maintenance. Bernard Bonnet, vice-president in charge of water at Saint-Etienne Métropole, told AFP. “The heavy rainfall has temporarily made turbid the water drawn from the dams of the Pilat massif supplying these stations which are operating at maximum capacity“, according to him.