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abstract 134

Aqua 2020 A prospective approach, unique in France

Author(s): Claude Allet, Jean-Michel Citeau, Sébastien Chazot, Jean-Claude Festor(*)
BRL, 1105 avenue Pierre Mendès France, 30001 Nîmes cedex 05 Tel. +33 466 87 50 00 ﷓ Fax. +33 466 87 51 03 (*)Région Languedoc-Roussillon, 201, avenue de la Pompignane, France 34064 Montpellier Cedex 02 Tel. +33 467 22 80 00 Fax. +33 467 22 81 91 festor.jean-claude@cr-languedocroussillon.fr

Keyword(s):

Article:
Poster:

Session: Poster session 3

AbstractConference talk
Subject: Impacts of human

societies

Introduction

Aqua 2020 is a deliberately political water resources management approach. It

is unique in France and jointly led by the Regional Council and the five Departmental Councils of Languedoc-

Roussillon (Aude, Gard, Hérault, Lozère and Pyrénées Orientales).
Goal
- to meet the water demand and

to ensure that all the populations will all receive adequate water supplies in the fifteen years to come,
- while

preserving aquatic habitats as imposed by the European Water Framework Directive (EWFD).
Methods
Led

by BRL [1], the approach took account of contributions from numerous partners, such as representatives of partner

authorities, State authorities, the Water Agency, river basin user groups, Chambers of Agriculture and the main local

stakeholders in charge of water and land-use management in the region.
It was an opportunity to refine the data

available on the evolution of the water demand in each area [2] ; an increasing demand for drinking water and an

evolution in the demand from economic activities, especially agriculture.
This information was then crossed with

findings from the studies carried out under the EWFD on the condition of aquatic habitats; for each area,

consideration of known problems and gaps to be overcome to achieve "good ecological condition" as required by

the EWFD, resources that could be exploited to meet the new demands and the prospects of abstracting less water

from sensitive aquatic habitats.
Findings
a) To prevent further degradation of aquatic habitats, habits must be

changed; savings must be sought, less water abstracted from natural habitats…
b) The growth of the

drinking water demand due to population increase (+35 000 people per year for 15 years) could well exceed an

additional 60 million m3 if present consumption habits are maintained.
c) The slowdown in irrigation

water consumption could alleviate pressure on water resources by some 40 million m3 per year.
The main

possible solutions
a) Improved network efficiency: 85 million m3 per year
b) Identification of options for

equipment in each area to enable the demand to be met
c) The Regional Council and the five

Departmental Councils are now a t the stage of approving "sustainable water resource management

charter"

Conclusion

The strategy resulting from the Aqua 2020 approach stems from eight general

guidelines for the region as a whole: encourage comprehensive approaches that cover all water uses and facilitate

solidarity between the different areas, promote water savings, optimize the current management of the water

abstracted, protect and secure water supplies, assess the rating of management and investment options against

sustainable development criteria and seek permanent finance…

[1] Compagnie Nationale d’Aménagement

de la Région du Bas Rhône et du Languedoc
The Languedoc Roussillon region was divided into 9 areas: - the

Roussillon plain, the Orb- Hérault- Astien- Aude coastal area complex, the Lauragais- Limouxin- Chalabrais area,

the region of Montpellier, all the upland districts (Lodève, the top of the Têt river basin, the Tech, the Agly, the Orb,

the Hérault, and the Vidourle river basins and the middle Aude Valley), the zone known as the "Vidourle, Southern

Gard and Rhône" (Nîmes and its suburbs + the Southern Nîmes area), the Gardons Rivers zone, the Cèze river zone

and Lozère.

Events

The congress

Programme

Practical Infos

Aqua 2020 A prospective approach, unique in France