Mayors Seek Support as PFAS Crisis Hits Ardennes and Meuse

Several mayors in northeastern France have voiced frustration over the lack of government support following a ban on tap water consumption in their districts due to PFAS contamination.

“The [state authorities] are urging us to take out loans to cover the cost of bottled water,” said the Mayor of Malandry, located in the Ardennes department.

“We’re left on our own with no guidance. We need to find a private water supplier, which will cost us €60,000 a year. I have no idea how we’re supposed to manage that. What am I supposed to tell the people?” added the Mayor of Haraucourt, also in Ardennes.

In response, the Mayor of Villy (Ardennes) has chosen to reimburse residents for bottled water purchases. To fund this initiative, he is considering raising the price of tap water once it becomes safe to drink again.

The tap water ban affects approximately 3,500 residents across 16 municipalities in the Ardennes and Meuse departments.

A Member of Parliament from the impacted region has formally requested that the public prosecutor open an investigation to determine the source of the pollution.

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