The November 27, 2024a group of deputies submitted to the National Assembly a bill aimed at including in the Constitution the right to drinking water. This transpartisan text, with the notable exception of the National Rally, seeks to enshrine this fundamental right as a pillar of the Environmental Charter. In a context where almost 490,300 French people do not have access to safe drinking waterthis initiative could mark a major turning point in the country's environmental and social policy.
An internationally recognized human right
The bill stipulates in its sole article that “the right to drinking water and sanitation is a human right, essential to the full enjoyment of life and the exercise of all human rights”. This approach is based on international precedents: 178 States throughout the world already recognize this right in their legislation or in international resolutions. Among them, countries like Bolivia, South Africa and Slovenia explicitly integrate this right into their Constitution..
For France, the objective is clear: to align its legislative framework with these international standards and guarantee equitable access to water for all, particularly in overseas territories where the disparities are blatant.
Glaring inequalities in access to water
The figures are alarming. In mainland France, 490,300 people live without secure access to drinking water, while 882 000have to deal with inadequate health infrastructure. These difficulties are exacerbated in the overseas territories. In Guadelouperesidents pay for their water twice as expensive than in mainland France, while the poverty rate there is twice as high. In Guyanabetween 15 et 20 % of the population still does not have access to drinking water.
HAS Reunionalmost one in two inhabitants is forced to consume water considered unclean. These inequalities reveal a real structural problem, particularly linked to the dilapidated distribution networks and the lack of public funding for sanitation works..
The legislative timeline for this proposal remains uncertain. MEPs hope for a review of the text before the World Water Daythe 22 mars 2025. However, political challenges loom. Cross-partisan support, essential for constitutional reform, could be limited by ideological differences. For example, the National Rally, accused by certain deputies of favoring a utilitarian rather than humanist vision, has already rejected the project.
What concrete rights for citizens?
Including the right to water in the Constitution could lead to several advances for citizens:
• Guaranteed access to quality drinking water : Local authorities would be legally obliged to invest in modern infrastructure.
• Strengthened legal remedies : Users could go to court in the event of a breach of their fundamental rights.
• Fair price regulation : Price differences between mainland France and overseas could be revised downwards.
An ecological and social emergency
Beyond legal considerations, this initiative raises crucial questions about water management in a context of global warming and demographic pressure. France, despite its status as a developed country, must respond to a double imperative: guarantee social justice and anticipate future ecological challenges..
This proposal, put forward by MPs convinced of the need to act, is a strong response to glaring inequalities and environmental emergencies. However, the road to inclusion in the Constitution will be strewn with pitfalls, particularly due to budgetary constraints and political opposition. Will the right to water finally be recognized as a human right in France?
