Overview
- Early August reports show roughly 19,000 households in Châtellerault are receiving 'cold' tap water at about 29°C because the Vienne river used for supply has warmed.
- The regional health agency (ARS) and local utility say recent tests classify the water as potable and no Legionella has been detected in Châtellerault controls.
- Health authorities warn that water above 25°C creates conditions favorable for Legionella growth and that infection occurs by inhaling contaminated droplets, for example in showers, not by drinking tap water.
- Because the utility cannot actively cool the river source, short-term responses focus on increased monitoring, routine treatment and simple household measures such as running taps for several minutes and avoiding the first jet after periods of non-use.
- Residents report discomfort and practical responses—measuring temperatures, changing valves and using warm water for plants—and the episode highlights how repeated heat waves and thermal inertia in rivers and pipes can affect municipal supply and daily life.