Water is scarce. Our professions are vital.

We must all remain vigilant: reassess how we use water, be economical, and choose equipment that uses water sparingly. Nonetheless, frugality alone will not be enough. We cannot simply ask users to consume less if, at the same time, a massive proportion of the water that is captured, treated and transported continues to be wastefully lost underground.

And therein lies the real wastage: for decades, despite repeated announcements and successive plans, investment in water networks has remained far below what is required — not because of a lack of willingness on the part of local authorities, which are often overwhelmed by the scale of the task, but because there has been no national priority worthy of the challenge. France has nearly one million kilometres of drinking water pipes — the equivalent of the entire national road network. With less than 0.7% of the network being replaced each year, it would take nearly 150 years to replace it entirely, whilst the lifespan of these networks is typically between 50 and 70 years. Today, nearly half of the network in France is over 40 years old. As a result, more than one in five litres is lost along the way — over 1 billion m³ per year, equivalent to 1,100 Olympic-sized swimming pools every day! That is enough to supply 18.5 million people.

This accumulated backlog of investment — a form of “grey debt”, which remains invisible as long as the pipes are still working and there is enough water — takes its toll when shortages and supply disruptions occur. A study carried out in 2022 for the UIE (French association of industries and companies in the water sector) by the economist Maria Salvetti (OECD) estimated the annual investment shortfall at 4.6 billion euros for drinking water, wastewater and rainwater management combined — of which 1.8 billion was for drinking water alone. It is becoming vital to make this a genuine national priority: this requires sustained mobilisation, a long-term vision by the State, and commitment and support for local authorities.

Water is not merely a technical issue: it is a social, heritage, economic and political affair. It is rural areas — with sprawling networks, few subscribers and limited resources — that are on the front line. It is also a matter of security: water is needed to sustain life, fight fires and keep businesses and shops running. And last but not least, it is a matter of industrial sovereignty: sustainably repairing our networks requires reliable and traceable equipment, selected on the basis of its true cost over its entire life cycle — and not solely on the price quoted on the day of the tender or purchase. Preserving our industrial expertise in the water sector, which is a field of excellence in France, our jobs and our roots in local communities, through tried-and-tested, sustainable product ranges — faced with competition that is all too often judged solely on price: this is also part of our security of supply and our sovereignty. It is a collective heritage that we will pass on to our children.

This recognition must be translated into a long-term water policy. It is a scarce and absolutely vital resource on which every aspect of our society and economy depends. It is a national priority for France’s future, and a local priority for every municipality, to ensure that water is priced fairly based on its use, so that we can invest in the networks to guarantee its quality and drastically reduce losses.