France rolls out five-year 'anti-drought' plan to save water

France has announced what it calls a “daily water sobriety plan” to slash water consumption following a severe drought last summer that parched most of the country. The measures were presented on 25 January  by Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Béchu, who spoke of measuring water in “ecowatts” and overhauling the country’s water treatment system. The average consumption of 150 litres of water per person per day was not sustainable, the minister said. "There will be a before and after 'summer of 2022’,” Béchu added, calling on all sectors to make an effort to cut down on water use, including farmers.