To deal with recurring risks of flooding, new motor pumps will soon be installed in Pas-de-Calais. This equipment should make it possible to improve the management of floods, like those which hit the region in November 2023 and January 2024, reports France 3 Hauts-de-France Friday October 4, 2024.
During the plenary session of Thursday October 3, 2024, the regional councilors of Hauts-de-France voted for the first time to cover part of the necessary expenses. Just like the Pas-de-Calais department, they released €300,000. The total cost of the project amounts to 2.6 million euros, financed by the region, the department, the State and the Artois-Picardie Water Agency.
“An answer is very fragile”
This new equipment will be distributed in strategic locations such as the Cuinchy, Calais and Coulogne locks (Pas-de-Calais). Among them, two high-power Hydrosub 150 pumps will be able to evacuate up to 50,000 liters of water per minute. A smaller Hydrosub 60 pump can also be used to intervene quickly in areas that are difficult to access.
For some local elected officials, however, the response to the threat of flooding remains insufficient. “Today, the response is very fragile. We are going to spend a winter almost without a pump, maybe we will have one in Novemberthus deplored to BFM Lille Natacha Bouchart. Only, it’s just the beginning of October and it’s starting to rain again. »
To find out more: Read the France 3 Hauts-de-France article
