Water resources in the region are severely strained by recurring drought periods. At the end of August, the water level of the Gué dam, which supplies part of the Boën-sur-Lignon area, reached a critical threshold. In response, the water service teams of Loire Forez Agglomération acted swiftly to find new supply solutions.
A mobile water treatment station, a first for the area, has been installed in just fifteen days. It can treat up to 240 m³ of water per day, operating 20 hours a day. The raw water undergoes several treatment stages: coagulation-floculation, decantation, sand and activated carbon filtration, and final disinfection. The treated water is rigorously analyzed to meet the health standards set by the Regional Health Agency before being injected into the distribution network.
This mobile unit, often used during natural disasters, will secure the drinking water supply for residents of Boën-sur-Lignon and mountainous sectors heavily reliant on this resource. This initiative follows several weeks of emergency measures, impacting communes such as Estivareilles, Saint-Bonnet-le-Courreau, Marcilly-le-Châtel, and Pralong. An interconnection with the network of the Association Syndicale Autorisée (ASA) des Monts du Soir has also been established, involving the deployment of nearly two kilometers of pipelines in the Trelins area.
The mayor of Boën-sur-Lignon, Robert Regeffe, highlighted «Loire Forez's ability to rapidly mobilize human, technical, and financial resources to maintain this essential public service ». The investment for the rental and installation of this mobile station amounts to €90,000 excluding tax.
Stéphanie Fayard, vice-president in charge of water, stated that the current situation serves as a lesson for the future, with the objective of securing the territory during the new mandate. She recalled that investments made during the previous mandate had already helped prevent immediate supply disruptions. Officials are once again calling for sobriety from both residents, limiting water usage to essential needs, and from the water services themselves, who are working to detect leaks, renew networks, and implement new reactive tools like radio and remote meter reading.
Loire Forez Agglomération has signed an agreement with the Loire-Bretagne Water Agency for an investment program of €7 million over three years (2026-2028), with 50% funded by subsidies. This program includes the creation of a future treatment plant in Boën-sur-Lignon to permanently enhance the security of the drinking water supply in the region. The interconnectedness of networks and solidarity between communes are also crucial levers for collectively managing water resource tensions.
