In recent years, France has been experiencing increasingly severe droughts, affecting almost the entire country. By 2025, more than 90% of departments had implemented water restriction measures. But beyond the lack of water, drought has another lesser-known effect: the deterioration of drinking water quality.

During periods of drought, groundwater and river levels drop significantly. This automatically increases the concentration of pollutants, as there is less water to dilute pollutants such as pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceutical residues.

In addition, some areas have to resort to emergency water supplies, which are sometimes of lower quality, in order to maintain supply. This can result in water tasting or smelling different, or even higher levels of pollutants, even if these remain theoretically within regulatory limits.

Finally, high temperatures promote bacterial growth in water networks and reservoirs, which can temporarily affect the sanitary quality of the water supplied.

What are the health risks?

Even though tap water is monitored, these increased concentrations of pesticides or bacteria are a cause for concern, particularly for vulnerable groups (infants, pregnant women, the elderly). Drought can therefore heighten consumer fears about the quality of their drinking water.

How can you protect yourself?

In light of these challenges, it is essential to adopt good habits:

✅ Check with your local council or regional health agency (ARS) about the quality of the water supplied during restrictions.
✅ Limit waste by complying with local regulations (watering, car washing, filling swimming pools).
✅ Filter your water to ensure it is safe to drink every day. 

Why choose a Berkey® system?

In this context, a gravity-based water purifier such as the Berkey® system is a reliable and effective solution

- No electricity required, making it ideal in the event of power cuts or severe restrictions.
- Capable of filtering out viruses, bacteria, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, heavy metals and many other pollutants
- Preserves all the minerals essential to our bodies.
- High autonomy, filtering up to several thousand litres per cartridge, making it a sustainable investment.

Even when water networks are under stress, you remain in control of the quality of the water you drink, for you and your family.

Drought is a challenge not only for water availability but also for water quality. Understanding these phenomena, adapting to them and adopting a purification system such as Berkey® is the best guarantee for continuing to drink pure, healthy water, whatever the climatic conditions.