2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

FRANCE PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
France
Economics (2003)
GDP per capita US$24,730
GDP per capita (PPP) US$27,640
Agriculture 3%
Industry 24%
Services 73%
Population
Total 2003, million 59.8
Total 2015, million 61.8
Urban areas (2003) 76%
Urban areas (2015) 79%
In urban agglomerations 2015 20%
Sewerage and sewage treatment
Year 1993-1995 2000 2001
Tertiary 5% 13% 27%
Secondary 44% 61% 51%
Primary 5% 13% 2%
Sewerage only 14% 6% N/A
Not connected 32% 7% N/A
The connection rate for sewerage services has increased from 55% in 1970 to 61% in 1980 and 93%
by 2000. The percentage of the population having their sewage effluents treated has increased from
19% in 1970 to 41% in 1980 and 87.5% by 2000.
Lead pipes were still being installed in Paris as late as 1992. Lead piping was banned in 1995 and
lead solder in 1996. In consequence, replacement of up to 70% of piping in some areas will cost a
total of F120 billion. A survey carried out in 1999 found that in France, 10% of water samples were
over the current lead standard, let alone the standard being proposed by the WHO and the EU.
According to 2004 report of the Institut Française de l’Environnement, 21% of groundwater and 45%
of surface water has excessive pesticide levels and 30% of inland water is of poor or bad quality.
Water usage and availability
Demand for water has risen by 4-5% per annum since 1950, and had stabilised by 1990. Since 1991,
domestic water consumption has been decreasing by 1% per annum. Since 1994, water bills are
calculated according to the volume of water used, while metering has been compulsory since the
1930s. The shift towards demand-led pricing has been a key factor in constraining domestic water
use. 14.42million people live in areas with a water shortfall, mainly in Côte d’Azur and the Ile de
France.
Urban services
% Water 99%
L per capita per day 156
% Sewerage 95%
% Sewage treated 80%
Compliance costs
According to Suez, compliance with the proposed Drinking Water Directive will cost France F100-120
billion, with affected households paying F10-50,000 to replace their lead piping. The company
stopped using lead piping for connecting households with the mains in 1981 and even then, it was the
exception. The Paris region plans spending US$6-7 billion on wastewater treatment from 1997 to
2015.
90 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006