As the country, like much of Europe, grapples with drought and record temperatures, residents of the picturesque village who used to mindlessly water their gardens or fill their swimming pools must now do things quite differently, Mayor René Hugo said.

“Sometimes there are a few clouds, but no water, not even a drop of rain,” he said, sitting by a fountain that had dried up. “We are getting desperate because the situation is not improving… Everyone has reduced water consumption,” he adds. The level of water consumption is checked every week to ensure that all households in the village respect the limit of 150 liters of water per person per day.

For water to reach that and neighboring villages, it must be transported from areas where there is sufficient water. “It’s an exceptional situation,” said Eric Martel, director of water supply for the municipality of Faience, to which Seilance belongs. He adds that very little rain has fallen since last fall. “What worries us is the upcoming winter and spring. If it doesn’t rain then, we will be in a dramatic situation”, he points out.